I Hate You, I Love You
by OreoLine00
Summary: Alicia hates George. George Hates Alicia. So what's the problem? Why are things changing, and they for the better? And who will be there for Alicia when she really needs it?
1. Back to Platform 9 34

Disclaimer: I don't own the world or friends of Miss Spinnet. If I did, I wouldn't be sitting here writing little fanfics. I'd be off spending my millions of dollars and sailing on my yat with Paul Walker and Sean Biggerstaff! ____________________________________  
  
"Alicia honey, are you going to let that alarm ring long enough it runs up an electricity bill that Bill Gates can't even afford? Now come on! We have somewhere to be!"  
  
Great. Just great. I threw the pillow that had been covering my head on the floor and looked at the alarm clock. "6:30..." I groaned. Who gets up at 6:30 during summer break? Not me, that's for sure. Not Alicia Marie Spinnet, Hogwarts Student of six years- "Hogwarts!" I completely forgot! How can you forget Hogwarts? Leave it to me. I threw the quilt off to the floor to join my pillow and I jumped out of bed after shutting off my alarm clock.  
  
"Alicia! I'm coming up there!"  
  
"I'm up mum!" I yelled out my door. "Chill out!" I looked in the mirror. Geesh Alicia! Can you say bed head? I turned on my stereo to my favorite Beach Boys CD. It reminds me of Katie. My Katie! Katie Bell is my best friend. I swear, she should have been born on a beach. Ironic though, she's never even seen the ocean. She's just got that beachy vibe. I hurry up and jump in the shower, get dressed, and dry my hair. It's quite sad. It's the last time I'll see my hair dryer until the winter holidays. It's okay though, that's why wands were invented. Well, not to dry my hair, but you know. I threw my hair up in a quick ponytail and smiled, approving of my appearance. I hate my hair. It's so. blah. It just sits there doing nothing. Whatever.  
  
A hear a knock at my door. "It's open," I yelled over the Beach Boys. It was my dad.  
  
"Alicia, give me your trunk. We're going to be late. You do want to catch your train, don't you? It is a train, right?" he asked, picking up my heavy wooden trunk. Is it a train, right? Ha. My parents the muggles. Yes dad, it's a train.  
  
"I'm almost ready," I replied, checking around the room for anything I might have forgotten to pack. After checking under the bed, in the closet, on my computer desk, and on my bookshelf, I decided I had everything. Nice job Alicia. Right as I'm walking down the stairs, I remember the most important luggage I could ever think of. Luna! Okay, maybe not so nice job Alicia. Luna is my gray and black four-year-old cat. She was a gift from Oliver for my birthday. I miss Oliver. He was such a nice person. Not bad on the eyes either, but that has nothing to do with it. He wrote me a few times this summer. It's hard for him though. Practicing eight hours a day every day. Never mind. That's not hard for Oliver. When he was out captain, Fred and George named him Captain Blood. He was a slave deriver. But he's happy now. Good for him. I pick up Luna and put her in her crate.  
  
I finally get downstairs and we head out the door. My trunk was already in the trunk (that wasn't a pun, was it?) and I hopped into the back seat of the van. I hear Luna throwing a fit in her crate. Too bad cat. Suck it up. I hate the drive to King's Cross. It takes an hour, which isn't too bad, but there's nothing to look at. It doesn't get interesting until we reach London. Then you start to see actual buildings and people, not just fields and cows. I'm convinced that there are three cows to every person in London, just on the way there. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm going to miss driving past all the cows and all the fields. It's my last year at Hogwarts. I'm sure I'll get over it. Yeah, right. Why does the train have to leave so early? I could be sleeping right now. In fact.  
  
I didn't wake up until I felt my mum tapping my shoulder. I sat up straight and looked out the window. We were there already. Wow, that was fast. I hopped out of he car and fixed my hair in the side mirror. At this point, my mother is getting all teary eyed. She does this every year.  
  
"Oh, Alicia," she began. She puts her hands on my shoulders and tries to make it look as though she hadn't been crying. She probably started the tears a week ago. "I expect a letter every week. Don't forget. I'll see you for Christmas, all right? Oh Alicia! I'm going to miss you." I try not to laugh as I give her a hug. Wow, I just noticed I'm taller than my mother. Well, not that that says much; I'm only 5'6.  
  
"Don't get expelled kiddo," my dad tells me as I hug him. My dad is the greatest. He thinks the wizarding world is fascinating. It's cute. I give my mom one last hug and load my stuff on a carrier. Finally. I gave a wave to my parents and walked from the parking lot to the station. It was so crowded.  
  
As I walked past the fifth platform, I heard a lady say to her husband "There must be an owl show this weekend. Look at all these owls." I smiled to myself upon hearing that. Yes ma'am, we're holding an owl show. Platform Six, Platform Seven, Platform Eight, Platform Nine, Platform Nine and ¾. I looked to my left, the to my right, just to make sure no muggles were looking before I ran full speed into the wall. I closed my eyes a few steps before I hit the barrier, and when I opened them, I smiled. There were witches and wizards all around me.  
  
"ALICAI!" I hear someone from behind me. I'd know that voice anywhere. I turned around, almost to be practically knocked down by Katie, engulfed in a huge hug. I kept my balance, but barely.  
  
"Katie, get off me," I laughed. "I can't breathe. I haven't even been here for two minutes and you're trying to suffocate me." She let go and gave me back my oxygen supply.  
  
"Sorry Lich," she shrugged, her blonde hair falling from her ponytail. She sat on top of my cart on my trunk, looking into Luna's crate. "It's just I haven't seen you in like forever. Everyone's waiting over there, let's go." She pointed over at a group of people standing around in a circle.  
  
"Are you going to get off so we can?" I asked, referring to the fact that she was still sitting on my cart. She grinned and shook her head no. I rolled my eyes and pushed it with her riding on my trunk. That's Katie for you though. When we got up to the group, I was yet again attacked. This time by Angelina.  
  
Angelina is gorgeous. She's tall, dark skin, awesome braids, and the smartest girl I know. "Alicia! We didn't think you were coming! We thought the train was going to leave without you and you were going to have to skip Hogwarts." She said after she let me go from another suffocating hug. At least I know I'm loved.  
  
"Correction," Lee nodded, walking over and putting his elbow on my shoulder like I was an armrest. "Angelina didn't think you we're coming. We were trying to tell her that you'd be here any minute, but she kept going on about how we're never going to see you again and you could be laying in a ditch somewhere on the side of the road." Lee is too great. I couldn't help but laugh as I saw Angelina roll her eyes.  
  
Fred came on my other side, and much to my dismay, I was his armrest as well. "Yeah Licia, she was flipping out. Not even my mother gets that paranoid. I think we need to get her some help." Angelina shot daggers at him.  
  
I looked from Fred to Lee and back to Angelina and Katie before smirking. "I'm not your furniture," I said to the boys before taking a step forward. They both lost their balance and fell to the ground. The three of us girls couldn't help but laugh hysterically. It was perfect.  
  
That was, until George had to show up. "Aww man," he smirked. "I was hoping for the ditch." I guess he had been off somewhere. I guess I should explain. I HATE George Weasley. I hate very few people, but George is one of the unlucky few. He doesn't exactly mind the fact that I hate him. he hated me too. Mutual feelings. I don't know why we always fight. That's the way it's been from like our second year.  
  
"Well I was hoping you'd fall off your broom over the summer, but too bad that never happened," I shot back. Everyone but George and myself groaned.  
  
"We've been here for what, five minutes, and you two are already going at it?" Katie rolled her eyes. "I mean seriously! Can't you just give it a rest for like one day? We're all tired of it." Wow. Happy, bubbly Katie just turned into snappy, scary Katie.  
  
Both George and I roll out eyes at her and turn in opposite directions. Wow. there's lots of eye-rolling going on today. Just as I was helping Fred and Lee up, the train let out a whistle, meaning it was time for all the students to board the Hogwarts Express. Everyone else had already loaded their stuff onto the train. Made Fred carry my trunk, and I carried Luna's crate onto the scarlet steam engine. Finally, we were off to Hogwarts for what was bound to be a crazy, adventurous year.  
  
Ack! Did that suck as bad as I thought it did? Well please review. Let me know what you think. Be honest too! 


	2. An Agreement

Disclaimer: It all belongs to Rowling. I'm just a bored fifteen-year-old girl who has nothing else better to do.  
  
Some reviewers were wondering why they hate each other. Don't worry. here's your chapter. kind of. Also, I just realized something. According to OotP, Katie is a year under Alicia and Angelina. Too bad. this is my story!  
  
The train ride wasn't as bad as I though it would be. Sure, George and me shot random insults to each other and I only threw one thing a him. I was proud of my self.  
  
"So Lich, how was your summer?" Lee asked after the trolley cart passed and we were all loaded up with sweets. "Hope it was better than mine." He had just finished telling us how his older sister was now engaged to a French man whom she'd met through the ministry who spoke hardly and English.  
  
"Pretty good," I nodded. "I played for a muggle soccer league. It was lots of fun. My team was awful though." I love soccer. Well, not as much as Quidditch, but I can't exactly break out my Nimbus and toss a Quaffle around in the back yard. I live in a muggle neighborhood. I think the neighbors would be a little intimidated.  
  
"Only cause you were on the team," I heard a certain red haired boy mutter.  
  
"I heard that," I said, shooting daggers at George.  
  
"You were supposed to," he replied, returning a matching glare.  
  
"Oh honestly you two, give it a rest," Fred shook his head. "Could you at least-"  
  
"Shut up Fred!" he was interrupted by his twin and I.  
  
"I'll let you know George," I continued. "That I was the best player on the team."  
  
"Right," he rolled his eyes. "Just like you're the best player on the Quidditch team." It was then that I threw a pack of Bertie Botts Beans of Every Flavor at him, hitting him square in the face. Chaser's aim. Apparently the package wasn't closed all the way because as they soared to him at the other side of the compartment, they flew into the air, making a huge mess.  
  
"You see that!" he said, holding his eye. "Abuse! That's complete abuse!"  
  
"Yeah, PROVOKED abuse!" I said, throwing my hands up in the air. God, he made me so mad! "I'm the victim here! I just wasted a galleon on you!" We both crossed out arms over our chests and sunk lower into our seats with a 'Humph'  
  
Neither of us said another word as the train kept rolling. The others were going to kill us if there was another outbreak like that. Not that I wouldn't have minded if they killed George. naw. If anyone was going to kill him, it was going to be me. I'd make sure of it. I let out a sigh of relief as we pulled into the Hogsmeade station. I pushed out of the compartment, pulling Katie and Angelina with me. I pulled them into the first carriage I could find.  
  
"Ahhhhhh!" I screamed as soon as the horseless carriage started moving. "I hate him so much! I told you he was out to ruin my life!"  
  
"Alicia," Katie said, giving me that listen-to-me-now-or-I'm-gonna-throw- you-out-of-this-carriage look. "Listen. It's our last year at Hogwarts. Don't you think you and George should just quit the fighting so we can enjoy it?"  
  
"Yeah, Katie's right," Angelina nodded. "It's been going on for like four years now and we're all getting tired of it." Great, so now my best friends were ganging up on me?  
  
"You guys," I wined. "It's not that easy. You're not the one he hates. You're not the one who wakes up in the morning knowing George Weasley was out to ruin your life. You saw it on the train. He started it!"  
  
"Yeah, but that was this time," Katie frowned. "You start it half the time. The other half it's him. You two have to meet in the middle somewhere and work things out." I sighed and they saw that I obviously didn't want to do anything that meant coming into contact with George.  
  
"Please." Angelina said like a little kid. "For me and Katie. Lee and Fred too."  
  
"I dunno guys," I replied as I felt the carriage slow down. "I mean, it IS George Weasley."  
  
The carriage came to a stop and Katie opened the door. "Just think about it, okay Lich?" I nodded as the three of us hopped out and walked into the huge Great Hall. What was I getting myself into?  
  
The feast turned out fine. We received a few new Gryffindors, and cheered when the Sorting Hat yelled out their results. That hat scares me sometimes. What kind of hat has a face? After the feast was over, we all left the Great Hall and walked up to Gryffindor Tower. We found out the new password from a sixth year prefect.  
  
"Mimbulus Mimbeltonia," Katie said clearly to the portrait of the Fat Lady. The door opened up and the six of us walked in side. Students were already starting games of chess and claiming their spots by the fire. Who needs a fire in September anyway? Katie, Angelina, and I made our way up to the girls' dormitories, the boys going up to theirs.  
  
"So," Angelina said, plopping down on her bed. "When are you gonna do it?"  
  
"Do what?" I asked, hoping they'd forgotten the subject from the carriage.  
  
"Don't play dumb Lich," Katie frowned. "You know exactly what Angie's talking about. When are you going to talk to George?"  
  
I sighed. "Why do I have to talk to him? Can't he come talk to me?"  
  
Angelina just rolled her eyes. "Come on Licia. Do you honestly think that George Weasley is going to come apologize about anything in the world?"  
  
"Whoa, wait a minute!" I said, standing up from my seat on my bed. "Who said anything about apologizing? I agreed to talk to him to cease World War III, nothing about apologizing! I wouldn't apologize to him if my life depended on it!"  
  
"Look, Alicia, just do it." Katie said, obviously getting annoyed. "For us. You don't have to mean it." She gave me a look that told me how important this was to her and Angelina. I couldn't say no to them now. They were my best friends.  
  
"Fine," I said, finally giving in. They both smiled. Angelina got up and pushed me over to the door. "What are you doing?" I couldn't help but laugh.  
  
"You're going to apologize to George," she said, as it was the most obvious thing in the world.  
  
"Now?" I replied, wide eyed. Yeah, I agreed to do it, but right away?"  
  
"Yes now!" she said, giving me a final push out the door. As I tried not to fall down stairs, I heard the unmistakable 'click' as the door locked. "You can't come back in until you've done it!" she yelled.  
  
"You two owe me big time you know?" I called back over my shoulder as I descended the stairs. George and I haven't always hated each other. In fact, believe it or not, we were inseparable. Then at the end of our third year, Katie, Angelina, and me started hanging out more and he began to start hating me for some reason. So, I did the only thing I could think of; I began to hate him too. And I still do now.  
  
I found George sitting on the floor, playing chess with Lee. 'All right Lich, it's now or never,' I thought to myself. I pick never! That works for me! But I can't do that. Not to Katie and Angelina. I took a deep breath and sighed as I made my way over to the pair.  
  
"Move Jordan," I said to Lee and lightly kicked his leg.  
  
"Excuse me?" he replied, looking very confused.  
  
"You heard me Lee," I smiled. "I said move. I need to speak to George." He looked at me, then George, then back to me, and George once more before giving a shrug, standing up, and walking over to an empty chair to watch Ginny and Ron play a game of exploding snap. I sat on the ground where Lee had been and crossed my arms.  
  
"I'm honored that you've chosen to grace me with your annoying presence," George said, giving me a nasty look. "But I was kind of in the middle of a game."  
  
"Look, I don't want to be here any more than you want me to be here. Plus, you were losing anyway." I replied, looking down at the chessboard.  
  
"Well what is it that you need Your Royal Pushiness?" he asked. "If you've come to throw more crap at me, this is Lee's board. Don't break it."  
  
"Would you just shut up and let me talk," I said, not wanting to be there more and more every second. "Let's start with the obvious. I hate you, you hate me."  
  
"You interrupted me game to tell me something I've known for years?" he said, looking annoyed.  
  
I sighed. "Stop being such a weasel and listen to me!"  
  
"Alicia!" he interrupted me yet again. "I know exactly what you're going to say. Fred and Lee told me the exact same thing not even ten minutes ago."  
  
"And.?" I said, waiting to see what else he had to say.  
  
"And what? I told them I'm not apologizing to you because I didn't do anything. It's all you."  
  
"ME?" I questioned. "I didn't do anything! I'm not apologizing to you for something you did!"  
  
"I didn't do anything. You're the one who always starts stuff."  
  
"Look, this isn't getting us anywhere. We have to come to a settlement on something."  
  
"Fine," he said, looking me in the eyes. "You tell Angie and Katie that you apologized, I'll tell Lee and Fred I did. That way they won't bug us any more and we can just ignore the hell out of each other whenever possible. When they're around, we can pretend to tolerate each other. Work for you?"  
  
"Perfect," I replied, standing up. I was just about at the top of the stairs when I heard George laughing. "What are you laughing at freak?" I asked, turning around.  
  
"You know Lich, that's the first time you've agreed with something I've said in years," he said.  
  
"Don't remind me," I replied. I couldn't help but smile as I opened the door and walked in.  
  
*** Well there you go. Chapter 2! How was it? I think that one turned out better than the first one! Now.  
  
Jinger- My first reviewer for this story! Thanks! Yeah, that would have been a shocking beginning, but you'll see what happens!  
  
FellowshipFantic- I hope chapter 2 cleared up your question a bit. I know it didn't 100%, but I wrote it like that. just wait! Thanks for the review!  
  
Jagged Epiphany- You're welcome! I'm glad you like my idea! Thank you for reviewing! 


	3. MIA Breakfast and Potions Gone Wrong

-----Disclaimer: You know the drill. I DON'T OWN IT!-----  
  
Angelina and Katie were thrilled when I told them that George and I were 'friends' again. Right. friends. Yeah right.  
  
The next morning, everyone was still asleep at breakfast. Great. classes. I picked up my schedule from a prefect and groaned.  
  
"Potions first?" I whined. "What a way to start off the year! With Snape's ugly face!"  
  
"Don't worry Lich," Fred said, putting an arm around my shoulders. "Me and George have it too. We'll save you from the evil Madam Snape, right George?" As if Snape wasn't bad enough, I had George too.  
  
"Great," I said, looking around, trying to sound excited. "Katie, Angelina, Lee, you guys don't have it?" Please. Please say yes.  
  
"Nope," Lee shook his head, handing Katie back her schedule. "We all have Divination." I sighed. At least we'd all be together for the rest of the day.  
  
"You know," I said, setting down my fork. "I wish you guys wouldn't choose your classes by how easy they are to pass. I mean you-"  
  
"Lich," I was interrupted by Katie.  
  
"Not now Katie. Let me finish," I continued. "Now, I wish you three-"  
  
"Licha!"  
  
I rolled my eyes. "You do have futures though. Maybe you should think about the right-"  
  
"ALICIA!" Katie yelled, throwing a spoon at me.  
  
"What is it Katie?" I said, annoyed that she wouldn't listen to my lecture on how the three of them needed to think long and hard about where they're going in this thing we call life. I didn't notice until then that the rest of them were laughing at me.  
  
"Alicia, look down," was all she had said, trying to stifle a laugh. I did as she said and looked down at my plate. It was empty. I looked at Fred, who was at my left. He looked like he had chipmunk cheeks, which were obviously filled with my breakfast. He looked around the table, back at me, swallowed, and smiled.  
  
"Do you still love me?" he asked, giving a false puppy dog expression.  
  
"You're lucky I wasn't hungry," I answered, elbowing him in the ribs. How could I want to eat anything when I knew I had to spend hours with George Weasley and Professor Snape in the same room? It's sickening. After trying to be serious, I couldn't help but laugh with the rest of him. Fred Weasley, you're too much. I looked at my watch that Katie had gotten me for my birthday last year.  
  
"We better get to class," I said to the rest of the group. They nodded and we all walked out of the Great Hall. Lee, Katie, and Angelina waved as they walked up the stairs to the Divination tower. Fred and George followed me down to the Potions dungeon. Lord, save me now.  
  
As soon as we came to the classroom door, I stopped and turned around, facing the boys.  
  
"Now listen," I said, shaking a finger at them both. "Do NOT do anything to get me in trouble on the first day of class. No day as a matter of fact. But especially this morning." I wasn't about to get detention, not to mention a lecture from Snape. I stepped out of the way, allowing them access to the room. Fred walked in, but before George could, I grabbed him by the back of the neck of his robes.  
  
"Hell Alicia, what was that for?" he said, rubbing his neck. I wasn't going to put up with his garbage.  
  
"George, I just wanted o let you know that what I just said," I replied, staring him in the face. "I was serious. None of your little jokes Weasley. This is the most important year of my life. DON'T screw it up, got it?" I was shocked by my own directness.  
  
"Then don't touch me," he responded, fixing the collar of his robes. He was asking for it. Just to make him mad, I poked him square in the chest. His face turned from tired to annoyed.  
  
"Don't touch me," he repeated calmly. I was wondering why he wasn't yelling at me. He tried to walk into the classroom, but yet again, I stepped in front of him. I gave him another poke, but instead of freaking out like he normally does, he just put his hand on my shoulder and pushed me out of the way. He walked into class, not looking back at me. I turned with a 'hmmph!' and stormed in for what was bound to be the worst hour and a half of my life.  
  
I took a seat next to Fred. Professor Snape was sitting at his desk, staring down everyone in the class.  
  
I leaned over to Fred. "What do you think he's planning?" I whispered. "To chop off all of our hands, or to poison us with evil Dark potions?"  
  
"Hmmm." he said, thinking. "Probably how to poison us with Dark potions, and then chop off our hands, all without being caught. We'll have to fight him buy ourselves. You up for it?"  
  
"Please," I joked, still in a whisper. "I could take him by myself. But I suppose you could help if you really wanted to."  
  
"Deal," he laughed, patting the top of my head. Weird kid... I watched as Snape looked up at the clock on the wall.  
  
"Enough talking!" he said, standing up. He walked in front of his desk. "Every one of you here are seventh year students. You have been taking this class for the past six years. Therefore, I expect no less that PERFECT work from all of you." He paused to look at a Hufflepuff boy, Jason Clark, who has his head down in the back row, obviously asleep.  
  
"Clark!" he yelled. The boy jumped, along with the rest of the class. "I'm not in the mood today. 20 points from Hufflepuff. Next time, it's detention for a week." Jason quickly nodded, being sure to stay awake.  
  
"Now," he continued as he slowly walked around the classroom. "In this room this year, you will learn how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death." I rolled my eyes, and I'm guessing so did the rest of the class. Same speech every year. I rolled my eyes yet again as I saw George trying not to laugh. Stupid Weasley. Unfortunately, Snape didn't notice, and George wasn't given detention.  
  
"None of you get comfortable where you're sitting," Snape continued, his greasy hair falling in his face. "I have a seating chart. I promise that NONE of you will be seated by your friends. You'll never learn anything if you're having fun. All of you, up." Everyone groaned as we stood up. I shoved my books back into my bag. No one said anything about a SEATING CHART!  
  
"Row one, table one," Snape said, looking down at a parchment. "Adams, Danielle and Reilly, Nicholas. Row one, table two- Tompkins, Ryan and Clark, Jason. Row one, table three- Albright, Caitlin and Weasley, Fred." Both George and I sighed, mad that Fred wasn't by us. "Row two, table one- Tyo, Jennifer and Woodward, Blake. Row two, table two- Spinnet, Alicia and." Snape paused, a grin appearing on his face. I slowly sat my stuff down at my new table and took my new seat, wondering why Snape hadn't announced who my partner was. His grin spread as he took a quill off his desk. He scratched something out and wrote something else. "Spinnet, Alicia and Weasley, George."  
  
"What?" George and I both called out in unison. There was NO WAY I was sitting by him for a whole year. No possible way.  
  
"Professor," I said, standing up in my chair. "You don't get it. That's not going to work. I can't sit by him."  
  
"Why is that Spinnet?" he asked. He switched us on purpose! I knew it! That's what he was scratching out and writing. He probably switched some other kid with George. "Sir," George broke in. "With all due respect, there's no way I can sit by her. She's-"  
  
"Shut it Weasley!" Snape interrupted him. "Now Miss Spinnet, explain why you chose for Weasley to have another seating arrangement."  
  
I sighed. "Well Sir, we don't exactly, well. work well together." He just smirked again.  
  
"That's no reason," he shook his head.  
  
"But Professor!" George yelped in protest.  
  
"Sit down Weasley. Ten points from Gryffindor for arguing with a teacher."  
  
"Professor Snape!" I said, hoping for another chance to get rid of George. "He can't-"  
  
"There's another ten points, Spinnet, for again, arguing with a teacher.  
  
"You can't-"  
  
"MR. WEASLEY! Twenty more points from Gryffindor!" Snape yelled. "Either sit down, or I'll take another fifty, which means you and Miss Spinnet will have lost your house seventy points in the first half hour of classes. What will it be?"  
  
George scowled and slumped down in the chair, much to my dismay, next to me. Great. Just peachy! While I was busy shredding pieces of parchment in anger, Professor Snape seated Roger Davies and Krista Cohen, along with the remaining students.  
  
I took out a piece of parchment and my quill and quickly scribbled a note and passed it to George.  
  
'Don't even LOOK at me'  
  
It read. He read it, wrote something back, and slid it back to me.  
  
'Then why to you even bother writing notes and communicating with me?'  
  
I took the scrap parchment, and crumbled it into a ball. Damn Weasel.  
  
"Your first assignment is the Dead Weight Potion." Snape began. "This potion will cause the drinker to become dead weight, too weighed down to move their own feet." With a flick of his wand, the directions appeared on the chalkboard. "Begin."  
  
"Lets keep talk to a minimum," I said. George nodded.  
  
"Fine," he agreed. "You measure the bicorn horn and chop the daisy roots, and I'll slice the knotgrass and de-spine the lionfish." We quietly went to work, only speaking when telling one another to move out of the way because they were blocking the cauldron. It wasn't as bad as it could have been. I was enjoying the silence. Just as I was stirring the potion, Professor Snape told us to have one of us test the potion.  
  
"You do it," I said to George, measuring the correct amount into a glass.  
  
"No," he replied, pushing the glass back to me. "You do it. Why should I have to drink it?"  
  
"Well then why should I?" I slammed down the glass, spilling a bit of the purple liquid.  
  
"Because one of us has to and I'm not going to. Therefore, if none of us do it, we fail. Your choice Licha. Drink or fail. I'm perfectly fine with failing this class. Been doing it for the past seven years. Drink or fail."  
  
I wasn't going to fail this class. I wasn't going to fail any class. No possible way. I took the glass and gulped it down. I waited for the dead weight effect. Nothing. I was standing there for a good thirty seconds. Nothing. I began to tap my foot patiently. I heard people behind me laughing. I turned at see that they were laughing at me. I opened my mouth to say something, possibly yell at George, but nothing came out. I couldn't talk. I heard some Slytherin girl say "Her skin!" between laughs. I looked down at my hands. They were purple. PURPLE!  
  
Snape came charging up from his desk to see what the commotion was about.  
  
"Miss Spinnet!" he yelled with an evil face. "What on earth is going on? Why are you purple?"  
  
I tried to answer, but I couldn't. I would KILL George Weasley.  
  
"Miss Spinnet, I asked you a question!" George stood beside him, holding his side, trying not to fall over from laughing.  
  
"Professor," George got out. "I uh. I think. I think she must have done something wrong when she put in the powdered draproot in. That causes awful side effects."  
  
George! He put in the draproot! Now I'm positive. I WILL kill him! Fred came over, looking worried, but still trying to hold in his laughter.  
  
"Umm. you alright Lich?" he said, trying to regain his composure.  
  
"Go to Madam Pompfry right now," Snape told me, pointing to the door. I stormed off to the back of the class. Just as I pushed open the heavy wooden doors, I heard George.  
  
"I told you not to touch me!" he called, laughing. I shot him a nasty glare, before stepping out of the classroom and slamming the doors behind me.  
  
...................................  
  
Wow. that took long enough. So, what do you think? Good? Crappy? Let me know. PLEASE review. The more reviews I get the more inspired I am to write. So. review and I'll give you a prize! Who doesn't like prizes? I do. and so will you! 


	4. A Little Different

Wow! You guys rock! So I don't suck? That's so awesome! Sorry for not updating sooner. I've been so busy! Hell yes! My baby won the Twin 125's, the Daytona 500, and the Hershey Kisses 300! All of which I attended! Go Dale! Haha! I love Dale Jr.! Shout outs at the end of the chapter! Happy late Valentine's Day! I'm having a real hard time coming up with a title for my Mighty Ducks fic! I need to ponder the subject!  
  
Disclaimer: I feel like a broken record... I don't own it. However, I do own a very nice Dale Eranhardt Jr. sweatshirt. It's warm and fuzzy!   
  


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It took Madam Pompfry an hour to get me un-purple-fied. It was awful. As soon as I walked out of the hospital wing, I swore I'd kill George Weasley. I looked at my watch and realized that I had missed most of Transfiguration. Great. The first day of class and I had to miss it. What a way to start off the new year. It was all George's fault! I walked down the corridors, going to what was left of class. Once I reached the classroom, I opened the big, heavy, wood door and quietly slipped inside. I noticed we had this class with the Ravenclaws, because there was Katie, flirting away with Roger Davies like she does every year, and turns him down every time he asks her out. Poor guy. Hell of a Quidditch player though. I walked up to Professor McGonagall's desk, where she was reading some type of book.  
  
"Sorry I'm really late Professor," I began, pulling her a piece of parchment out of my pocket. "I was in the hospital wing. Here's my hall pass." I gave her the paper and she smiled a thin smile.  
  
"Don't worry Miss Spinnet. Word travels fast around thins school. You should know that by now. I'm glad you have your voice back and are back to your normal skin color." Professor McGonagall replied. She looked down at a clipboard, which I figured out was her seating chart. "Take the seat to Miss Bell's right please. Miss Bell, please inform Alicia on what we are doing."  
  
I was ecstatic. I wouldn't have to sit by George, who was with Fred and Lee in the back of the room. I got to sit with Katie. Angelina was on the other side of the room, sitting next to one of Ravenclaw's Chasers. I set my books down by Katie, who had turned her attention away from Roger Davies.  
  
"Lich," she whispered, not to disturb the class. "I heard about what happened in Snape's class. That must have sucked. Something went wrong when you were mixing, right?"  
  
I almost choked. So that's the story everyone knew, huh? Well that was damn wrong. I sighed and looked back at George, who was almost asleep.  
  
"That's not how it went al all," I shook my head. "It was George. He messed something up when he did his part. He put the draproot in and did something wrong. Before class, I was poking him and he said not to touch him, then before I left the class, he called 'I told you not to touch me!' I'm telling you Katie, it was him." "Back to work girls," Professor McGonagall said, looking up from her glasses, but going right back to work. Katie looked at me like I was crazy.  
  
"Lich, why would George purposely switch something in the potion?" Katie asked, looking too confused.  
  
"Why wouldn't he? He hates me! Katie, his main goal in his life is to ruin mine."  
  
Katie rolled her eyes and opened my textbook to the right page. "Alicia, I though you two worked things out. I mean, you guys are friends I thought, right?"  
  
Great. Busted. I hated lying to Katie. I really did. But I couldn't tell her about me and George's agreement.  
  
"Of course we are," I lied, hating ever word of it. "I guess you're right. I must have stirred too long. That can mess up a lot, right? I'm sure I just made a stupid mistake."  
  
The rest of the day was pretty much the same. I stayed as far away from George as I could, anger building up inside me. Later, I'd kill him. At the moment, he was nowhere to be found. I was sitting in the common room, playing a game of cards with Angelina. There were a few others in the room, but most had gone to sleep. Katie had said she was studying with Roger, but we all knew there was no work to be studied on the first day of classes. I'd get the gossip later. Just as we finished out game, Angelina yawned.  
  
"I'm done for the night Lich," she said tiredly. "And I don't want to wait up for Katie. Who knows what time those to will be done with whatever it is they're doing. I'll see you in the morning, alright?" I nodded and watched as she walked up the stairs to our dorm. I was just about to head up to bed myself, when I heard footsteps. I turned around to see who else, but George, walking up the stairs to the boys' dormitories.  
  
"Not so fast!" I huffed, jumping up from my spot on the ground. I marched over to the stairs, where he was at the top. "Get down here!" I stood with my hands on my hips, trying not to yell and wake everyone up. George looked at me like I had just implied that he go do a dance across the common room dressed in panty hoes.  
  
"Yeah right," he replied, rolling his eyes. "For what? For you to throw verbal and physical attacks at me? I'm not as stupid as you think Alicia." Oh, so he thought he was a smart ass now, huh?  
  
"No George, you're right. You're not as stupid as I thought." I shook my head like I had actually been wrong the whole time. "No, you're even more stupid! Now get down here!" I was doing my best not to yell, but he was making me so mad.  
  
I was surprised when he yet again rolled his eyes, but reluctantly walked down the tall stairs to floor. "What do you want Lich?" he asked calmly. Gosh, what an idiot.  
  
"You know exactly what I want to talk about George Weasley!" By now, I'm pretty sure I was on the verge of yelling. I was standing with one foot on each side of the line. "Don't act like you don't. Even you're not that stupid! I'm talking about what happened in Potions!"  
  
Hearing that, he cracked a smile, but quickly straightened up when I shot him a death glare. I guess he knew what was good for him.  
  
"Alicia, it was a joke," he shrugged. "Get over it."  
  
"A joke?" I replied. By this time, I was positive I was yelling. "A joke? George, it was humiliating. I couldn't speak. And I was PURPLE! You should know this, but a joke is something you can laugh at!"  
  
"I laughed," he said, simply. "So yeah, it was a joke." At this, I threw my arms up.  
  
"George, this may be a concept you can't understand, but I'm doing a thing called being serious. You should try it some time. Maybe that way, people might actually like you." I gave up, knowing there was no point in arguing. I shook my head at him before turning around, planning to go up to bed. I had halfway reached my destination when George spoke.  
  
"I'm sorry," he said. I quickly turned back around, not believing what I had just heard.  
  
"Excuse me?" I said, almost in a laugh. "Did Mr. Big Bad George Weasley just apologize to me? Because I think you did." He rolled his eyes.  
  
"Yeah, I guess I did," he shrugged. I smiled and shook my head at him again.  
  
"Goodnight George," I said before turning around and heading up the stairs.  
  
"Night Lich," I heard him call before I closed the door to my room.  
  
Before I went to sleep that night, I couldn't help but think to my self 'Wow, that was weird'  
  
-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- Aaaaand cut! Print! That's a rap! Se yall for rehearsal Friday! {Don't ask... I have NOT CLUE where that cam from}  
  
The following people are coolest cause they reviewed! Yall rock;  
  
SiriuslySirius022: Yes, Fred Weasley is a pig! I don't think the color purple was working for her. Maybe next time she should try a yellow. I like yellow!  
  
btzfungrl09: I really have to thank you for those reviews. They motivated me to write this chapter. I'm glad you like it!  
  
Hey everyone, tell me this, is the title "There's Something About Jamie" seem catchy, even if you don't know what the story is about (although you don't, so I'm sure it's not that hard to imagine!) 


	5. Boomslangs and Mail

Shout outs at the end.  
  
Disclaimer: Everything I say in the next sentence is a lie. I own it all!  
  
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I was walking down a beautiful beach, the sun just over the horizon. The water echoed in the background, and I was laughing. The wet sand was cold as it squished through my toes. I wasn't alone. There was someone walking with me, making me laugh. I looked over to see who it was, and-  
  
And I heard a huge thump in the room. I sat up, silently cursing whatever interrupted my dream. I opened the hangings around my bed to see Katie, sitting on the ground.  
  
"Katie? What the hell?" I said, leaning over my bed. Angelina was also looking at Katie, wondering what had happened.  
  
"Sorry guys," Katie shrugged. "I tripped. Lich, you shouldn't leave your jackets lying in the floor. Someone could, well, trip. I couldn't see where I was going. Go back to sleep."  
  
"No way Katie," Angelina shook her head in the darkness. "There will be no sleep in this room until you tell us why you're getting back at-" she looked at her watch, trying to make out the numbers in the dark. "12:03 in the morning?"  
  
Katie stumbled up from the wood floor; untangling herself from my fleece jacket she had given me for Christmas a few years ago. She set it at the end of my bed as she opened the curtains all the way.  
  
"Well...?" Angelina asked impatiently.  
  
"Well..." Katie replied, sitting at the foot of my bed. "I was just walking around. That's all. Nothing to fuss about." She acted as though it were an everyday thing that she was creeping around the halls until midnight with the guy who held Hogwarts' largest fan club.  
  
"Yeah, with Roger Davies," I added. I sat up more, rubbing sleep out of my eyes.  
  
"You're not stupid Katie," Angelina added. "You know we want the gossip. Now what happened?"  
  
Katie got up and walked over to her own bed. "So what if I was with Roger." She responded. "We walked around the corridors. That's it. I don't like him and you guys know it."  
  
"You lead him on every year Katie," I said, knowing it was true.  
  
"Licia's right Katie," Angelina agreed. "For the past three or four years, that poor boy has been in love with you and every year you break his heart. Don't deny it either."  
  
Katie had him wrapped around her finger. Anything Katie wanted, she got it from Roger. If she asked him to do something, he'd have it done in a heartbeat. He was like her slave. She had him whipped.  
  
Katie smiled and rolled her eyes. "Let me off with it okay? I'll try not to treat Roger let Roger think I like him anymore. And believe me, we were just walking around, talking about Quidditch."  
  
"I swear Katie, if you're lying to us, I'll beat the hell out of you," I threatened, although I'd never hurt Katie, and she knew it.  
  
"You guys are my best friends," she yawned. "I wouldn't lie to you girls. We just walked around. That's it. I promise." Her yawn was contagious, and pretty soon, we were all yawning.  
  
Angelina and I let it go. We all got back in bed, and as soon as my head hit the pillow, I was out.  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
"You guys are never going to believe the dream I had last night," Lee said as the six of us sat down for breakfast. MY DREAM! I had completely forgot about it. As Lee told everyone his dream, I only heard bits and pieces of it. I was too busy remembering my own.  
  
I was happy in the dream. There was something about the way the person was making me laugh, that was really great. And the person? Who was it? I had woke up before I could see their face.  
  
"Weird, huh Lich?" Lee asked me, snapping me out of my trance.  
  
"Yeah," I replied, not knowing what I was agreeing to. "Weird." I began to absent-mindedly fiddle with the toast that had appeared on my bronze plate. Today, we all had Care of Magical Creatures class first.  
  
After breakfast, we all hurried back up to the common room to get our books for class. We were about half way out to the grounds where class would be held, when we had to wait for Fred to run back to the common room. He'd forgotten his wand. Once we were finally walking out the doors of the castle, we all waited again when Katie realized she had grabbed her Divination book instead of her Care of Magical Creatures book. Can you say unorganized?  
  
After everyone was in line and had their things we managed to make it out to the grounds a minute or two late.  
  
"Nice of you six to join us," Professor Grubbly Plank had said as we sat down on the grass. I rolled my eyes when I saw that we had this class with the Slytherins. Perfect. Just what we needed; Adrian Pucey and Ryan Montague's smart remarks and Quidditch threats for the rest of the year. It seemed though that the houses were divided, Gryffindor on one side, Slytherin on the other. We took a seat behind some Gryffindor sixth years.  
  
"As I was saying," Professor Grubbly Plank continued. She stood next to a box about three feet tall, ten feet long, which was covered by a huge purple sheet. "I'm about to unveil some hideous creatures that are so nasty, they'll make your hair curl, especially some of you ladies." And with that, she pulled off the cloth, revealing a glass tank filled with today's lesson.  
  
We all shrieked when we saw what was in the tank. There were about three or four nasty looking snakes. They had huge heads. Katie practically leaped into Fred's lap when one of the green ones poked its head out of the uncovered top and let out a huge hiss. Professor Grubbly Plank was right. They were gross looking. Scary as hell.  
  
"These are boomslangs," she informed us, using a forked stick to poke the green serpent back into the tank. "The green ones are the males, and the brown ones are the females."  
  
"That's why that green one wanted out," George whispered to me. "He wants you Lich." I didn't even look at him, but just gave him a sharp jab in the ribs with my elbow.  
  
"Shut it George," I said to him, obviously louder than a whisper, because Professor Grubbly Plank shot me a look.  
  
"They come from Africa," the teacher continued. "They're color helps them to camouflage into their surroundings, which varies from the grasslands to the jungles, depending the time of year. They're extremely poisonous. Their venom is toxic."  
  
"Maybe I'll put one in your bed Lich," George bothered yet again. "They we won't have to hear you complaining at Quidditch practice." I rolled my eyes and slapped him across the back of the head.  
  
"I said SHUT IT George!" I replied to him.  
  
"Miss Spinnet, is there a problem?" the teacher asked, annoyed. "Because if there is, I'm sure Professor McGonagall wouldn't mind me sending you and Mr. Weasley up to see her for a little visit."  
  
"No ma'am," I replied, my face red with embarrassment. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Montague laughing, along with the rest of the Slytherin side. Stupid gits... Professor Grubbly Plank continued the lesson.  
  
"As toxic as their venom is, it's one of the main ingredients used in the Polyjuice potion, which you should have learned about last year. If anyone is not familiar with it, please let me know now."  
  
The rest of the class, we learned how to feed and handle the boomslangs. Lee even had the courage to help Professor Grubbly Plank de-fang one of the females. Katie was completely grossed out by them, and wouldn't even help the rest of us feed them the bowtruckles, which they ate whole.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-==--=-==-=-=-=-=  
  
The rest of the week went by smoothly, as long as you don't count the incident which I threw my knight while Fred and I were playing chess, and threw it at George's head. Or when he pushed me off of the bench at dinner. Or when I 'accidentally' spilled the freezing cold Truth Potion in his lap in Potions. Okay... so maybe it didn't exactly go by smoothly, but it went by quick.  
  
Friday night, we had decided to celebrate surviving our first week of seventh year by taking our brooms out to the Pitch the next morning. Saturday morning, I woke up to Katie jumping up and down on my bed, the sun shining bright from the window. Too bright.  
  
"Wakey wakey! Eggs and bacey!" she giggled as I just about pushed her off.  
  
"Katie," Angelina groaned as she stepped out of her bed. "You're too hyper. Calm down once and a while."  
  
Once we were all ready, we made our way down to the Great Hall for breakfast, taking our brooms with us. I sat beside Lee and Angelina. I had just finished my French toast when the morning post came, owls flying everywhere. I was shocked when a huge, brown barn owl came swooping just over our heads and left a white envelope in my lap. It was probably just a letter from my mother, making sure I was keeping warm, brushing my teeth, all that motherly stuff that they don't really care about, but feel obligated to pressure you about anyway because it's the 'motherly thing to do'.  
  
"Who would send you mail?" George asked, looking at me like I was some nasty boomslang.  
  
"Shove it Weasley," I replied, shooting him a dirty glare, kicking him in the shin from under the table.  
  
"You two shut up," Lee rolled his eyes. "Well Lich, are you gonna open it?"  
  
"I'll open it outside," I answered. I tucked the letter safely into my back pocket. "I want to go ahead and get out on to the Pitch before it gets too hot." Everyone agreed and we made out of the castle, our brooms with us.  
  
What I didn't realize then, was that that letter would be the thing that changed me for the rest of the year, and maybe the rest of my life.  
  
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Okay guys! There was Chapter Five! Did ya like it? REVIEW! REVIEW! A lot is going to be reveiled in the next chapter. Trust me, it'll be a good one. You'll most likely find out completely why they hate each other. I promise, you'll love it! Lots of drama! Who doesn't love drama? All right, this story is obviously in their seventy year, and through the story, you might see that things might not line up with Order of the Phoenix, but that's why my name is Krista and now J.K. Rowling! Cheers!  
  
+Jagged Epiphany- Who knows? Maybe they will change! You're not horrible! I promise! And I don't lie! Thanks for reading!  
  
+Cassandra the Evil- Hell won't freeze over! Maybe he's just a silly young man who's got a few things he's confused about.  
  
-----The info about the boomslangs, I made up some of it, but I found most of it at the following website- www.hp-lexicon.org. 


	6. The Letter

Disclaimer: I'm getting kind of tired of this; I DON'T OWN IT!  
  
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Who knew that you could play Quidditch the whole day, and not even realize when it was dinner time?  
  
"I didn't even realize what time it was," I shrugged to Fred as he had fought the last Bludger into the crate of Quidditch equipment. I pulled my hair out of it's thick ponytail and let my brown hair hang.  
  
"What I don't get," he replied, slamming the top of the crate closed, locking it with a heavy bronze lock. "Is how I played right through lunch. I don't miss lunch." He was right. In the seven years I had known Fred Weasley, I don't think he'd ever skipped a meal, even on Quidditch match days when everyone else was too nervous to eat even some dry toast. "Cause now I'm starving."  
  
"Would you two hurry up," Angelina called from the cobblestone path up to the castle. She and everyone else were waiting for us to return the equipment to the locker room.  
  
"What's the rush Angelina?" Fred asked. "You got a date or something." He rolled his eyes. Angelina always had to be on time, and it became annoying sometimes. Fred and I caught up to the rest of the group, when I had happened to stick my hands in my pockets and feel the letter I had gotten earlier that morning.  
  
I frowned. My mother never sent me mail this earlier in the year. I stopped walking.  
  
"What's the matter Lich?" Lee asked, turning around to face me.  
  
"I'll meet you guys in the Great Hall, okay?" I replied. The others had turned around, looking worried. Except George.  
  
"Don't want to be seen with us, huh?" he asked, looking at me like he was disgusted. "We're not good enough for you?" At that, Katie smacked him in the stomach with the back of her hand.  
  
"You don't know when to shut up, do you?" I heard her mutter before she turned back to me. "All right Licha," she said. "Come on guys, let's go. I'm starving." I watched as they all made their way up to the castle to eat.  
  
I reached into my pocket again and pulled out the letter again. I absentmindedly made my way over to the lake as I slid my finger under the seal of the envelope. As the paper ripped, I hoped it wasn't anything bad. I couldn't help but wonder why my mother has sent it.  
  
I pulled the letter out of the crème colored envelope, tucking the envelope back into my pocket. I unfolded the paper, only to reveal messy, quickened writing, compared to my mother's normally perfect loopy cursive.  
  
Dear Alicia Marie,  
  
I read as I sat down on the grass.  
  
Dear Alicia Marie, Before I go on with this letter, I want you to know that both your father and I love you very much, and we always will. We love you more than anything in the world, and wish you could be here to talk to us at this time. Again, we love you so much, but I hate to be the one to tell you that we don't love each other like we used to anymore. We both think it's best for the two of us to split up and divorce. You're father is planning to move to London at the end of the week. We're not as happy as we used to be. We love each other, but we're not in love anymore. I know you'll understand that this is what's best for us and for you as well. I love you. -Mom  
  
I gasped, my breath getting caught in my throat. I wasn't going to cry. It was now starting to get dark.  
  
"I'm not going to cry. I'm not going to cry. I'm not going to cry," I had to repeat to myself out loud. I honestly didn't understand. When had they started feeling like this? What hadn't the told me?  
  
"I'm not going to cry. I'm not going to cry." I began talking out loud again as I hugged my knees. "This isn't right. It's probably a dream. I mean, maybe I fell off my broom and I'm really lying in a bed in the Hospital Wing, my friends leaning over my face, waiting for me to open my eyes. Or mom's just kidding, mad because I left a mess in my room before I left or something. Mom and Dad love each other"  
  
"Who are you talking to, your imaginary friend?" I heard as I lifted my head up to see who it was. "Cause you know it's the only friend you have." George continued, standing in front of me, arms crossed over his chest. I didn't say anything, for once, and just stared up at him, swallowing the lump that was creeping up my throat.  
  
"What, no 'Shut up George!'? No throwing rocks? Nothing?" he said. I kept looking at him, not daring to speak again, because I knew if I did, I'd cry. And I WOULD NOT cry in front of George Weasley. "They all sent me down here to make sure you weren't dead. Now I have to deliver the bad news to them and tell them you're alive."  
  
He expected me to get mad, which believe me, I was, but I was keeping my mouth shut. I stared at him for another second before closing my eyes, knowing that I was going to cry soon. I kept my eyes shut for a bit, and when I opened them, I quickly wiped any trace of a tear that might have been there, and looked up to him again.  
  
The look on his face turned from annoyed to almost worried.  
  
"You all right Lich?" he asked, squatting in front of me, his muscular forearms resting in his legs.  
  
"I'm fine," I replied, mentally kicking myself when a single tear rolled down my cheek. "I'm fine. Just go back up to the castle and tell everyone I'm fine."  
  
I wasn't going to cry. I wasn't going to cry. I wasn't going to cry.  
  
"No, I won't," he replied, actually sounding concerned. "Because you're not fine. You're not fine, and you're crying. I haven't seen you cry since first year when Marcus Flint ripped the head off your doll." I guess that I hadn't realized that my 'single tear' had turned into many tears. "You're not fine."  
  
"Why do you care?" I yelled, standing up and throwing the letter to the ground. "You don't care at all, so don't pretend you do! I'm fine!" I was so embarrassed.  
  
"I do care Alicia," he replied. It was he who was now looking up to me. "And stop telling me you're fine, because you're obviously not!"  
  
"I'm fine!" I repeated. I watched as his eyes wandered to the letter which lay on the ground. "Go away George!" I fell back to my spot on the grass, eyelevel with him again, except I didn't look at him. I too kept my eyes on the letter.  
  
"What's wrong Licha?" he asked. I shot him a look that said 'leave me alone'. By now, I knew I was crying more and more.  
  
"I'm not going away until you tell me what's going on?" he continued. I looked back at him, seeing a look of worry on his face.  
  
"Stop acting like you honestly care what's wrong George!" I yelled at him.  
  
"I'm going to say this once more Alicia, and whether you believe me or not, I care!" he yelled back. He rested his head in his hands, before he suddenly looked back to the folded letter. I gasped as I watched him reach for it.  
  
"NO!" I yelled, attempting to grab it before he did. It was none of his business. He grabbed my reaching wrist with his other hand. Damn those Beater reflexes. I tried to free my hand and get the letter, which he had in his right hand. I was no match for his strength, and knew as hard as I fought, I wasn't going to win. I stopped my struggle, and he let go of my hand.  
  
"Don't read it George," I cried. "Please. Just... please. Don't read it."  
  
"Then tell me what's going on," he replied, a stern look on his face. I said nothing. "I swear Alicia, you tell me what's going on, or I'll read this letter to the whole damn school. You know I will."  
  
No! I couldn't let the whole school know about my personal, dysfunctional family life.  
  
"Please George. Please!" I repeated.  
  
"Alicia!" he replied. I knew he was being serious.  
  
"Fine! Fine, I'll tell you!" I gave in. "Fine..." I took a deep breath before I continued. "My parents are divorcing and my dad's moving away! Happy? Are you happy now?" I could feel hot tears stream down my face from my now red eyes.  
  
"Gosh Lich," he replied, almost awkwardly. He tossed the letter back to the ground and looked at me with that worried look. "I'm really sorry. That's got to be awful." I swallowed another lump as I tried to stop crying.  
  
As I wiped my eyes on my now tear-soaked shirt, George made his way over next no me. I had stopped crying, but I still had that stupid lump in my throat.  
  
"Are you going to be okay?" he asked, concerned.  
  
"Probably not," I said flatly, and shrugged. "But I can't do anything about it." Then, I have no clue why, but I didn't something that I don't think I had ever done before.  
  
I hugged George Weasley. Like I said, I don't know why I did it, but I did. I guess I just really needed to be comforted at the moment. He wrapped a heavy, yet comforting arm around my shoulders. I rested my head on his broad shoulder, and sniffled.  
  
"I'm sure it's for the best Licha," he spoke up. "I mean, you want your parents to be happy, right?  
  
"Of course I do," I replied. "But they were always happy. They never fought. Everything was perfect. We were a perfect. There was a father who worked his ass off to support the family, yet never missed his daughter's soccer games. There was a mother who ran errands and loves to shop and baked every day. And me, the daughter, who does great in school and all the neighbors love. We were perfect. Now, all there is is the dad who still works his ass off and sees his kid every other holiday, the mother who now has to work for the first time in her life, and me! Stupid me!"  
  
"You're not stupid," he rolled his eyes. "Don't say that. And I'm sure things will be fine. So don't worry."  
  
"Sure," I muttered. "Just fine."  
  
We sat there for a few minutes in awkward silence, before he was, again, the one to speak up.  
  
"Why do you hate me?" he asked. The question was completely out of the blue. I hadn't expected.  
  
"What do you mean why do I hate you?" I replied. "I thought that was obvious; because you hate me." He chuckled, his chest bouncing up and down. "What are you laughing about?" I asked, scooting away from him. I was confused.  
  
"I don't hate you," he smiled.  
  
"Umm, you're not making any sense Weasel," I said, confused. "Well what exactly did you mean the billions of times you would yell at me 'Alicia Spinnet, I hate you!'? Or putting frogs in my bed? Or making fun of me? Or turning me purple and speechless?"  
  
"It was the only way you would talk to me," I looked at him like he was crazy, which in my mind, he was. "After about third year, you started ignoring me. You always hung out with Angelina and Katie, and acted like you didn't even know me. We weren't best friends anymore, and I hated it. The only way you would ever talk to me was when you were yelling at me to go away or when you were telling me how stupid I was. So I figured if it took you being mad at me for you talk to me, then I'd have to settle with that."  
  
I didn't want to admit it, but deep down inside, I knew he was right. I had ignored him. Except I hadn't realized until then that I had been doing it.  
  
"I... I did not!" I protested, knowing very well that I had in fact ignored him.  
  
"Yes you did," he laughed. "You can't argue with me. You acted like I was the algae growing at the bottom of your pool that no one wanted to clean."  
  
"I don't have a pool."  
  
"You know what I mean." He looked down to his silver watch. "I've been down here for half an hour. They're going to think I murdered you." He stood up and brushed the grass off his kaki pants. "Let's go and tell them what's going on."  
  
"NO!" I jumped up. "No. Don't tell them George!"  
  
"Why not?" he asked. "Why can't they know about the letter?"  
  
"I don't want them to worry," I explained. "Because you know they will. Please George. I'm begging you. Please don't tell them! Please!"  
  
"Alicia, they have to know sooner or later," he replied, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"And I'll let them know," I assured. "Just not now. Please George. Please don't tell them. Promise me you won't tell them about the letter."  
  
"Fine," he sighed. "I promise. But you'll tell them soon, right?"  
  
"I'll tell them soon," I agreed. We began to walk back up to the castle.  
  
"I'm going up to my room," I told him. "Just tell them you went outside, and I wasn't there, so you went up to the common room, and found me there. I told you that I wasn't feeling well, so I went to sleep early, got it?"  
  
"I'm not so sure about this Lich," he replied as he opened the heavy door to the castle. "I don't think I like this whole idea of keeping things from everyone. It doesn't feel right."  
  
"George! You promised!" I pleaded, looking up to his unsure brown eyes. "You promised me."  
  
"And I don't intend on breaking that promise," he replied. "I just said that I'm not too comfortable with lying to our best friends. But if it really means that much to you..."  
  
"It does," I quickly replied. "No I'm going up to my room. Don't forget, I was up there the whole time, alright?"  
  
"Got it," he nodded as I made my way back up to Gryffindor Tower. I was about halfway up the stairs, and he almost to the door of the Great Hall, when I turned around.  
  
"Hey George!" I called. He turned and faced me. "I'm sorry I ignored you."  
  
He shrugged and gave me a half smile. "I thought you were sick? Go to sleep." And with that, we both made our ways to our destinations.  
  
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- =-=-  
  
Well there it is, Chapter Six! Did you like it? I think it turned out pretty good. Please review and let me know what you thought!  
  
-Yoshi-fan2003: Did I write that? I'll be sure to go back and edit if I did. Thanks for the review!  
  
-andrewsmyprincess: I can't see him hating someone either, that's why it's so fun to write it! And like you saw in the chapter, he didn't really hate her!  
  
-Blandsaft: I couldn't tell you where it came from. My bestest friend ever and ever, Ryan, busted though my door one morning over Winter Break yelling that. I love Ryan! He's great! And hitting them with a banana? That's a bit violent, don't you think?  
  
-CassandraTheEvil- That answers your question about the letter! 


	7. Rained In and Solid Muscle Stomachs

Disclaimer: Je ne le possède pas. Ich besitze es nicht. No lo poseo. Non lo possiedo. Eu não o possuo. I don't own it...  
  
Shoutouts at the end, if I get more reviewers, but at this time, I have a special message to Jagged Epiphany! I might cry if you don't update Old Faces, New Tricks soon. I might cry AND die! Cause that story is WONDERFUL! It's better than wonderful! It's... it's... {Insert synonym that's better than wonderful here!}. I'll be your best friend forever if you do! This chapter is dedicated to you, because maybe if I do that, you'll update!  
  
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For about a week, I was walking down the same beach. The same sun was over the same horizon. The same water echoed in the same background. I was laughing the same laugh. The same sand squished between the same toes. The same someone was walking with me, and every time I would look to see whom that same person was, I'd be interrupted from my same dream.  
  
This time it was Angelina.  
  
"Alicia! Alicia! Wake up!" She yelled, flinging open the scarlet curtains that surrounded my bed. I sat up groggily, rubbing my eyes. Angelina practically jumped on my bed. I had never seen her as excited, except when we'd won the Quidditch Cup two years ago. "Alicia! You're never going to guess what I found when I woke up this morning! Go on! Guess!"  
  
I knew it had to be something big for her to be this ecstatic, so I sat up, more awake.  
  
"Ummm..." I pondered. "An incredibly handsome, dashing movie star has asked for your hand in marriage?"  
  
"Alicia! I'm serious! This is a very serious matter!"  
  
"Okay, sorry," I laughed. "But I honestly don't know. Tell me." Angelina put on the biggest smile and almost shrieked.  
  
"This morning when I woke up, and there was a note on the windowsill by me bed, so I pulled it off the window, and I saw that it was from Professor McGonagall. Alicia, I'm the new Quidditch captain!"  
  
Hearing this news, I was completely awake.  
  
"Angelina, that's great!" I yelped. "I'm so proud of you. I thought for sure it would be Fred! This is great! Who are the other captains for the other teams?"  
  
"Davies for Ravenclaw. We all knew that. He deserves it though. He's been captain since fifth year. Hell of a chaser," She nodded. "Ryan Montague for Slytherin. He's going to turn out just like Marcus Flint. And Hufflepuff's captain is Nick Solar. He's a Beater."  
  
"This is awesome," I smiled, proud of Angelina. Then, I realized something was missing. "Where's Katie?" I asked, looking around the room. She wasn't in her bed, or the adjoining bathroom. Right then, the door opened.  
  
"Did I hear someone call me?" the bubbly Katie Bell smiled. "You know Lich, it's not nice to talk behind peoples backs. They might not like it."  
  
"Shut it Bell," I smirked. Katie sat at the end of my bed, just as Angelina had been seconds before. Now, she was pinning her note of good news on her bedpost. "Where were you?" I asked Katie.  
  
"I went down to tell everyone the news," she explained, brushing some blonde hair from her face. "Boy, was Fred jealous." She stood up, leaned against the post of my bed. She crossed her arms over her chest, and spoke, imitating the red haired boy. "Girls don't need to be Quidditch captains. That's a mans' job. Professor McGonagall must've drank too much Fire whiskey when she made her pick." She stood normal again and shrugged. "I'll tell you Angie, you're lucky. I'd kill for Quidditch captain."  
  
"Not me," I spoke up. "Too much pressure. If your team doesn't perform well, it's like it's your fault. I give you credit Angelina. It'll be tough, but I know you can do it."  
  
"Thanks Lich," Angelina smiled before walking over and giving me a huge hug. Pretty soon, Katie followed suit, and we were all engulfed in one huge best friend hug.  
  
"Whoa! Whoa!" we heard as the door flung open. George stood in the doorway; hand over his face, peeking out through two fingers. "Whatever you girls plan on doing, please lock the door next time." We all piled off my bed, laughing.  
  
"Yes George," Katie joked. "You walked in one of our lesbian threesomes. You must be scarred for life. She rolled her eyes at him, as he grinned in the tall doorway.  
  
"You loser," I laughed. "You, George Weasley, have a dirty mind." He shrugged. "We were simply celebrating Angelina's news."  
  
"By piling on top of each other on your bed? You girls are weird," he replied, shaking his head.  
  
I could hear Katie mutter "Stupid boys," under her breath. She walked over to her own bed and violently began fixing the pillows.  
  
"So how is Fred taking the news?" Angelina asked. "Does he still think I can't do it?"  
  
"Fred's just jealous," George replied. "He'll get over it. I think he knows you'll do a good job and is intimidated by the fact that he could be bossed around by a girl."  
  
"We boss him around all the time," Katie noted from her side of the room. "He should be used to it. We boss all you boys around. You do whatever we tell you to."  
  
"Do not," George protested, standing up for himself, Lee, and Fred.  
  
"Do too," Katie argued back. We all knew she was right. She picked up a shoe from under her bed, walked toward George, dropped the shoe, and kept walking for a few more paces. Then, she turned around and faced him. "Can you get that?" she asked. Both Angelina and I knew what she was up to.  
  
"Sure," he shrugged, and bent down to pick up Katie's sneaker. Right as he was about to pick it up, he looked at Katie, and stopped picking it up, hands on his hips.  
  
"Point taken," he nodded. "But Fred's just jealous. He'll live. Don't worry. You'll be a fine captain Angelina."  
  
"Thanks George," she replied. "What did you need anyway? Or could you just not wait any longer to see our beautiful faces?"  
  
"I came up to tell you that we're going down for breakfast," he said. "Because it's a Saturday morning, and the best breakfast is always on Saturday."  
  
"Mmm..." Katie smiled. "I could use some pancakes and bacon right now." She picked up her shoe and threw it with its match, back under her bed.  
  
"You guys go ahead," I suggested. "I'll meet you down in the common room. I'm going to change." Everyone else was dressed except me, seeing I was the last one up. Hogwarts students didn't have to wear school clothes on weekends, so I pulled a pair of black track pants and a red polo shirt out of my dresser and walked into the bathroom to change.  
  
"Don't be long," I heard Katie call as I heard the door close. I quickly changed and opened the bathroom door. I gasped as I saw George sitting on my bed, looking around the room.  
  
"God George, you scared the hell out of me," I said, catching my breath. "I thought you left." He stopped looking around and looked over to me as I brushed the knots out of my boring hair. He licked his lips.  
  
"You told them, right?" he asked. Great. He was talking about the letter. I hadn't told Angelina and Katie or Lee and Fred about the contents of the letter. I looked away from him and became very interested in my hair.  
  
"Alicia," he groaned. "You have to tell them sooner or later. They have the right to know. You guys are best friends."  
  
"I'll tell them," I stated simply.  
  
"When?" he asked. "After they somehow find out, and get mad that you've been keeping this from them, and hate you? Cause it'll be too late then."  
  
"The only way they'd find out is if you told them," I argued. "And you promised me you wouldn't tell. You promised me George!"  
  
"Relax, I'm not going to tell them," he shook his head, getting up from my bed and walking to toward the door. I threw my hair up in a quick bun. "But you have to tell them soon Alicia. You're going to get hurt in the end if they find out some other way than you."  
  
"I know," I sighed. "Just not now."  
  
"Soon though, right?" he asked. "Promise you'll do it soon? I kept my promise to you, now you own me. So promise you'll tell them soon?"  
  
"Yeah," I replied. "Promise." I wasn't looking forward to telling them what my mother had said. The truth is, I had been trying not to think about it myself. It seemed that if I didn't bring it up I my mind, it was like it' wasn't real.  
  
"Come on!" we head from Lee from outside the door. "What are you guys doing, conceiving a child? Let's go, I'm starving!"  
  
George rolled his eyes at me as he flung the door open, sending Lee down the flight of stairs. We all laughed as we watched him tumble down. George and I made our way down the steps, being sure not to step on him at the bottom. I helped him up, and we all walked out of the common room to our Saturday breakfast.  
  
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The whole weekend was spent indoors, much to our dismay. We could hear the rain pounding on the windows of the school wherever we went. Hogwarts should find a soundproofing charm. So Saturday and Sunday was spent either finishing homework, reading, or playing card games and board games in the common room.  
  
Sunday, we were all spread across Gryffindor Tower, bored out of our minds. Fred was trying to come up with something off the top of his head for his overdue Charms essay, asking Katie or me what he should write every five minutes. Angelina was curled up in an armchair, 101 New Quidditch Moves, perched on her lap. George and Katie were playing a loud game of Wizards' Chess, and Lee and I were building a card house with Exploding Snap cards. Every so often you would hear an "Aha!" from Angelina, an "Aww! I hate this game!" from Katie, followed by a laugh from George, or a wince from either Lee or I when our tower was about to fall over. Besides that, and Fred's pleading for us to write his essay for him, all that could be heard was the pounding of the rain.  
  
"I quit!" Katie yelled, slamming her fist on the table, causing the game Lee and me were playing to come crashing to the ground.  
  
"You don't quit," George laughed. "You lose. You don't know how to play."  
  
"I do too," She argued as she violently began to shove the game into its case.  
  
"Obviously not," he muttered. "You lost three games in a row."  
  
"You cheated," Katie determined as she plopped down on one of the couches. I followed suit and took a spot next to her, Fred soon sitting to my left. We all struck up conversation, but it didn't get interesting until George, who was across the room from me, along with Angelina and Lee, spoke up.  
  
"So," he said, looking right at me, but addressing everyone. "Anyone get any interesting mail lately?"  
  
I shot him a death glare, praying to Apollo that everyone had forgotten I'd gotten a letter the previous week.  
  
"My mum sent me some big long letter on how she wishes I'd come home," Lee responded. "I swear, she's been too scared to take her eyes off me since the whole Diggory thing last year. She almost didn't let me come back this year."  
  
"My dad was the same way," Katie nodded. "He didn't understand the whole thing. He's still trying to grasp the concept of portkeys and floo powder. For being married to my mother for fifteen years, I'm still having to explain everything to him." We were all shocked that Katie spoke of her mother. Diane Bell died when we were in our fifth year. Katie doesn't like to talk about her.  
  
George got the feeling that we all did, and brought up his topic again.  
  
"What about you Lich?" he asked. I could swear there was a hint of a smirk on his face. "Any mail?" I shot him another glare, but knew I couldn't just ignore him. Too suspicious.  
  
"Nope," I shrugged. "But didn't you and Fred get some cookies from your mother Wednesday?" Whoo... that was close. Way to play cool Lich.  
  
"Fred ate them all," Lee informed us. "George didn't even get to look at them."  
  
"Fred Weasley, I swear you have two stomachs," I laughed. "You eat more than any person I know. I'm surprised you're not fat as a cow."  
  
"That's solid muscle right there," he replied, lifting up his shirt to reveal, surprisingly, what he had promised. I rolled my eyes, but smiled, as I backhanded him in the stomach. He didn't even flinch. "That's what a whole life of Quidditch gives you," he smiled.  
  
"Cocky bastard," Angelina muttered under her breath, although we all heard her.  
  
"I love you too Angelina," Fred rolled his eyes at her. That's how the rest of the evening went until dinner. Just as we were all leaving the common room, I pulled George back by the collar of his shirt.  
  
"Don't you dare pull anything like that again!" I threatened.  
  
"What are you talking about?" he asked, a quizzical look on his face.  
  
"You know exactly what I mean," I glared. "Let's see... 'Anyone get any interesting mail lately?' I'm not stupid George. You promised!"  
  
"Yeah, you promised me too," he replied. He just shook his head as he walked out of the common room, leaving by myself.  
  
"It's not that easy," I said to myself before I too left for the Great Hall.  
  
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+Yoshi-fan2003- you guessed right! Congratulations! You win a prize! +Jagged Epiphany- I refuse to leave you any comments until you update Old Faces, New Tricks, and that's final! JK... but seriously, UPDATE! +Blandsaft- it said that in thirds year, she had become closer to Angelina and Katie, and that's when she started to ignore him. Does that answer your question? +Andrewsmyprincess- I fooled you! I fooled you! Haha! Nananana poo poo!  
  
Well guys, there it is... did ya like it? I think it turned out all right. More action/drama in the next few chapters! Be ready for it sometime soon! I've suddenly been overdosed with ideas! And the more reviews I get, the faster I write, soooooo... (Hint maybe...? Naw!) Two chapters in two days for me! Wow! You guys must be doing something right! 


	8. I Hate To Say It But He Was Right

Disclaimer: Do I look like my name is J.K. Rowling? Because it's not. It's Krista.  
  
Will everyone please read my one shot story called "Perfect"? I only have one review for it, and I really want to know what people think of it. I personally think it's good, but I want a second opinion. Or third. Or fourth. Or tenth...  
  
^*****^  
I didn't say much to George the next few days. He'd pass the occasional note in class, saying 'Soon', or 'I kept my promise, now you keep yours'. I was still so mad at him. I knew I had to tell them. Now wasn't the time though. Especially since I'd gotten a second letter.  
  
Luckily for me, this one didn't arrive at breakfast. It arrived just after dinner Tuesday night. One of the house elves must have delivered it during the day, because when I went to go change from my school shoes to my slippers while everyone else was finishing up some homework, it was waiting on my pillow.  
  
I knew from the moment I saw it, it wasn't going to be good news, just like the last one. I plopped down on my bed and stared at the cream colored envelope, written in my mothers back-to-normal loopy cursive, almost daring to open it. I knew I had to.  
  
I slid my finger under the glued seal and pulled out the folded piece of stationary, and began to read.  
  
Alicia Marie, I just wanted to let you know that the divorce papers came today. I don't want you to feel like this is a one-sided agreement. Both your father and I think this is best for each other, and for you as well. He's found a nice two-bedroom apartment in downtown London. This is our final decision. We miss you. Mum  
  
I read that one line over and over again.  
  
'This is our final decision.'  
  
There was no way. It couldn't be final. It couldn't be. There was no possible way I'd accept the fact that my parents, my PERFECT parents, were splitting up. No way in hell.  
  
It wasn't fair. I hadn't done anything wrong. I sat up against my headboard of the tall oak bed and buried my face in my pillow. I tried to hold back my tears, but I couldn't.  
  
I just sat there, for what seemed like hours, crying into that overstuffed, scarlet pillow. I wanted more than anything just to cry to someone. But the only person I could do that with was George, and we weren't exactly on speaking terms. I should have told them right then and there, but me being me, refused to let anyone into my personal life. Even my best friends.  
  
I knew that I had been up there for twenty minutes, and it didn't take twenty minutes to change your shoes. I stuffed the letter in my tear- stained pillowcase, and walked over to the adjoining bathroom. I looked into the mirror.  
  
I looked awful. My hair was a mess. My eyes were red. My cheeks were blotchy. Is this how people saw me? I quickly splashed some water on my face and combed me hair. It would have to do. I wasn't in ant mood to pretty my self up.  
  
I walked out of the bathroom and out the door into the common room. I sat down in an armchair and pulled out a novel from my school bag.  
  
"Alicia, are you alright?" Fred asked me, setting down his Transfiguration book to take a good look at me. "You look like you just woke up from a bad dream."  
  
I wished it were all a dream, even if it meant being a bad dream.  
  
"Yeah," I shrugged. "I guess I'm just feeling a little sick. That's all. No need to worry." I gave him an assuring smile, although I was putting up quite the acting job.  
  
I wasn't fine. How could you be fine when you've just read the worst news of your life?  
  
"Are you sure Lich?" Lee asked. "You're really pale. Maybe you should go see Madam Pomfrey. I'm sure she can find a potion or something."  
  
"Yeah Alicia," Angelina agreed. "You really should. You look like you've just seen a ghost, and I'm not talking about a Nearly Headless Nick ghost."  
  
I gave everyone a smile similar to the one Fred had just received.  
  
"You know, I think I might go and get some fresh air," I nodded. I closed my book and set it down on the chair. "I'll be back in a little bit, okay?"  
  
They gave me an understanding, yet worried nod. I began to walk across the room, out to the grounds. This was not my day.  
  
"I'll go with you," George said, just as I was reaching the door of the common room. He stood up out of his seat.  
  
"That's alright," I shook my head. "You don't have to." I was really saying 'No you won't!' He knew it.  
  
"Don't worry about it Lich," he replied as he walked over to where I was standing. "I don't mind." He was really saying 'Yes I will!' I knew it.  
  
I couldn't tell him that I didn't want him to come. At least, not in front of everyone else. They would know right away that something was wrong.  
  
We both gave a wave to our friends before walking out of Gryffindor Tower through the portrait hole.  
  
"What was up with that?" he asked after we had been walking through the corridors for a few paces.  
  
"What was up with what?" I asked, annoyed. I knew just what he was talking about. As we walked, I kept focused on the fact that I needed to tell him about the other letter, but wouldn't.  
  
"Come on Lich," he rolled his eyes. "I'm being serious here." He stopped walking, expecting me to do the same. I kept walking. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" He reached out and grabbed me by the shoulder. Again, damn those Beater reflexes. He spun me around so I was facing him.  
  
"Ow!" I yelped, although it didn't really hurt. I rubbed my shoulder, hoping to make him feel bad. "That hurt!"  
  
"Cry me a damn river Lich," he replied. He was really mad. His ears were turning red, almost matching his hair. He had a very stern look on his face. "What's gotten into you this year? Its like one bad thing happens and you're letting it take over your life. Where's the strong Alicia I know? Because the Alicia Spinnet I've known for seven years of my life would never let one thing hold her down from everything else, especially her friends!"  
  
That had made me so mad. How dare he yell at me in the deserted corridors?  
  
"Don't give me that George!" I fired back. "You don't know what it's like. Everything was perfect until now. PERFECT!"  
  
"Everything was perfect. WAS! W-A-S! And you're right, now it's not!" he yelled. "The world isn't perfect Alicia. Get over it. I'm not going to belong to your pitty party anymore. I guarantee you if you had told them, things would be different. You wouldn't have the need to run off. But instead, you're keeping something from them, and lying to them on top of that. How does that feel, lying to your best friends? You feel guilty. I know you do. You have to tell them! It's not fair!"  
  
I stared him in the eyes, grinding my teeth so hard, I thought there might only be my gums left when I was done.  
  
"Maybe I won't tell them!" I replied.  
  
"I can't believe you!" he yelled, throwing his hands in the air. "I swear Alicia, you better tell them soon, or I will." And with that, he turned and left, storming off back to the common room.  
  
I just stood there for a few minutes, angry. Angry at George. Angry at myself. Angry at the world. Mostly because I knew he was right. I was letting one misfortune ruin me, making me be someone I wasn't. God, how much I hated him at that moment for being so right.  
  
After I stood there, wallowing in my own self-pitty, I went back to the common room. I was so angry, I just walked right in and marched right towards the stairs to the girls' dorm.  
  
"Hey Lich, what's wrong with George?" Katie asked as I was on my way up. "He stormed in, muttering something about someone being a stupid, selfish brat, and went up to his room."  
  
I just rolled my eyes and kept walking. "Who cares," I replied, just as I was entering the room.  
  
Before I slammed the door, I heard someone mutter, "I wish those two would just give it a rest."  
  
Once I was in the room, I changed from my school clothes and into a pair of sweatpants and an old soccer jersey from over the summer. I took the letter out of my pillowcase and decided to put it with the other one. I walked over to the end of my bed and opened my trunk. I moved things around, looking for the letter.  
  
I checked under my Quidditch gloves. Not there. I moved all of my books from the corner. Nothing. I searched every inch of that trunk, and the letter wasn't there. I could swear I had put it in there. I began to panic when I found it wasn't in my dresser. I looked in my bed, under my bed, in the bathroom; nothing. The only thing I found was dust, shoes, and toothpaste.  
  
How could it be gone? I knew I had it. I couldn't believe it. There was no way I'd lost the letter. No possible way. After looking around for another half an hour, I knew Angelina and Katie would be coming I soon to go to sleep. After all, we had an early morning Care of Magical Creatures class tomorrow. I gave up for the night.  
  
"It's probably in the trunk," I said to myself out loud. "You probably just overlooked it. That's all. Worry about it in the morning."  
  
I climbed into my bed, pulling the scarlet curtains around the huge bed. I heard the door open and shut, Angelina and Katie tip toeing in. I closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep, just as Katie peeked her head into the curtains. After she had closed them, she sighed.  
  
"I'm worried about Alicia, Angie," she said.  
  
"Me too," Angelina replied. "She's been acting so strange lately."  
  
"Maybe she's sick."  
  
"I don't know, Alicia's never sick. In the last seven years, I don't think I've seen her throw up once."  
  
"You're right, but what else could it be?"  
  
"I don't know. Fred and Lee are worried too. George, well he doesn't count. Sometimes they're best friends, and two minutes later they hate each other. We'll ask her tomorrow." One of the two shut the light off.  
  
"Goodnight Angelina."  
  
"Night Katie."  
  
"Goodnight Alicia," both girls whispered, falling into a fit of giggles.  
  
George was right. I had to tell them. I didn't want to, but I had to. They were worried. I'd tell them tomorrow after class. George was right about another thing; I was a stupid, selfish brat. But one that wasn't going to lie to her friends anymore.  
  
~**********~  
  
Well! There it is. I don't think I really like it. I'm not sure if it turned out the way I wanted it to. Although I did like how George got the point across to her. She needed a good session of screaming! Anywho... let me know what you thought! And PLEASE don't forget to read and review "Perfect". I'd really like to know what yall think of it.  
  
+Jagged Epiphany- Yay! You're writing! You're writing! That story was some of the inspiration for I Hate You, I Love You. +  
  
+Yoshi-fan2003- I can't see him as a cow! Thanks for reviewing. +  
  
+Moonlight- Thanks! Thank you times 6 billion! Thanks you for reading! + 


	9. Bloodied Up

Disclaimer: I don't want to say it, but I will, only because I don't want to get sued for millions of dollars, because I only have $14.00! I don't own it... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  
  
I woke myself up from the same beach, same sand, same laugh, and same person. Good thing though. I needed to get up early and find that letter. I threw open the scarlet hangings and practically jumped out of my bed. Katie and Angelina were still asleep. There was just enough light peeking from the window to see around the room.  
  
I must have checked everywhere at least three times. I even looked behind the toilet in the bathroom. Nothing. I went back to my bed and began franticly tearing off the sheets, hoping maybe it had been tangled up when I'd made my bed, and was there the whole time.  
  
When I couldn't find it there, I took my pillow and threw it on the ground.  
  
"Where IS it?" I complained, obviously louder than I'd like to have said it.  
  
"Where's what?" Katie grumbled, pulling away knotted hair from her face, tangled from sleep.  
  
"Yeah," Angelina asked. "What's going on? Why are you murdering your linins?"  
  
"Uhh, sorry guys," I shrugged. "I couldn't find my Potions book.  
  
"So you were looking for it in the sheets?"  
  
"Yes Katie. I was looking for it in the sheets," I tried to convince her. "I took it to bed with me last night, and I guess I fell asleep with it with me."  
  
"Well you can look for it later." Angelina suggested, getting out of bed. "You don't even have Potions today." She was right, we had Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, and History of Magic. Our last class of the day was a free class, a time for seventh years to catch up on homework and cool down for the rest of the day.  
  
"Bugger," Katie just about yelled. She looked at her watch and jumped out of bed. "Lich, you should have gotten us up sooner. Breakfast's in ten minutes."  
  
The three of us hurried up and got dressed, running around the room. We just made it down to breakfast. The boys were already waiting for us. I sat as far from George as I could. As soon as I saw him in the Great Hall, I remembered that I was going to tell everyone about my letter. That is, the letter I couldn't find.  
  
I didn't say one word to him. I didn't look at him. Although, I could feel his eyes practically burning holes in my head, he was staring so hard.  
  
"Lee, give me my muffin!" Katie rolled her eyes. She stared back at her empty plate.  
  
"I don't have it!" Lee protested. "I don't even like muffins.  
  
"Well it was here a second ago, and now it's not."  
  
"Are you sure you didn't eat it?" Angelina asked.  
  
"I'm positive. I put it on my plate, then I looked to see if Davies was at the Ravenclaw table, and when I turned around, it was gone."  
  
"Why don't you ask the human garbage disposal," I smiled and motioned to Fred. We all looked over to the redhead and couldn't help but roll our eyes. He just shrugged; cheeks filled with chocolate chip muffin, and piled more toast on his empty plate.  
  
We all finished breakfast, Fred taking some crackers with him, and walked out to the grounds for our first class of the day; Care of Magical Creatures. It was a nice day. The sun was hot, and the skies were clear with no trace of any rain. We made our way out to the grass, noticing the divided sides of Slytherin and Gryffindor. Wow, for once, we were early.  
  
A few of the Slytherins were huddled. Their group consisted of Ryan Montague, Adrian Pucey, Shannon Dean, Amy Gellar, and Blake Newsted. Ryan, Shannon, and Blake were seventh years like us, and Adrian and Amy were sixth years. They were all standing, huddling around something Montague appeared to be holding.  
  
As we sat down, Ryan Montague poked his head out from their tiny group, and smirked at me, only to go back to talking to the other four Slytherin creeps.  
  
"What was that about?" Fred asked me, the others curious as well.  
  
"I dunno," I shrugged. "He's weird anyway. None of them can keep their heads in their own business."  
  
"Stupid Slytherins," Katie mumbled. It wasn't a minute later when we all noticed Ryan look at me again and smile that same smirk. I shot him a dirty look, and he only laughed.  
  
"You guys, don't forget, Keeper tryouts are tomorrow morning," Angelina reminded us. "I want everyone there at sun up."  
  
We all agreed we'd meet at the Pitch around 7:00. When Ryan looked over again, this time I was getting mad.  
  
"Do you have a staring problem?" I called over to him. "Or are you just too thick to comprehend the fact that we don't like you."  
  
He laughed. "A staring problem? Of course not Alicia Marie. You just humor me." Amy and Shannon giggled.  
  
Only one person called me Alicia Marie, and that was my mother.  
  
"Go pet a dragon Montague," I rolled my eyes and turned back to my friends.  
  
"Oww... that hurt," he replied, sarcastically. "I'd be careful what you say around me Spinnet. I've got something on you that you'd die for me to keep secret." He revealed what they had been all huddling around.  
  
As soon as I saw it, I thought back to the night at the lake when I had first read the first letter. Both George and I were staring, he grabbed it, but then he threw it back on the ground. I didn't pick it up before we left. He didn't either. Which could only mean...  
  
"Give that to me Montague!" I ordered as he waved the crumpled parchment in the air.  
  
"Yeah right," he rolled his eyes at me. "Why would I do that?"  
  
"That's mine! Give it back!" I yelled.  
  
"Alicia, what's that?" Katie asked as she got up and stood next to me. "What's going on?"  
  
"Give that to me Ryan!" I demanded, ignoring Katie.  
  
"Or what? You'll cry to your mum and dad, who don't even love each other, none the less love you?"  
  
"You take that back!" I replied through gritted teeth. "Take that back right now!"  
  
"Alicia, what's he talking about?" Fred asked, joining Katie.  
  
"Oh what, she didn't tell you sorry Gryffindors?" he laughed. "This is great. Her parents split up. Without telling her. And her dad's moving to London. I don't blame him, wanting to get away from you."  
  
"Is that true Lich?" Katie asked me, pain in her eyes. I sighed and nodded yes. "Wait, but... why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"I don't know Katie," I answered. "I had a lot to deal with. I didn't want to make things worse than they were. I'm sorry Katie. I'm really sorry."  
  
"Yeah," she replied. "Me too," she shook her head and turned around. I stood there, silent, as I watched her make her way slowly up to the castle. Everyone else just stared at me, either with looks of anger, pitty, or confusion. Fred walked back over to the rest of the group, sitting down, none of them saying anything to each other or me.  
  
"See," Montague chuckled. "That's what happens when you come from a mudblood family."  
  
He'd crossed the line there. "You evil FILTH!" I yelled, before I did something I'd never done before to anyone. I slapped him. Hard. Right across the face. He grabbed his cheek, but smiled. I was about to do it again, but as I reached my hand back again, he grabbed my wrist, preventing it from making contact with his face.  
  
As soon as he did, George arrived at my side.  
  
"Let her go," he demanded. He was turning red, full with anger. Ryan just took that as a sign to pull me closer to him, yanking my by the wrist.  
  
"Oww!" I yelped as I was pulled into his chest.  
  
"This is your last chance Montague," George said. "Let her go."  
  
"Yeah Ryan, she's not worth it," I heard Shannon Dean say quietly. He clenched his jaw in annoyance, but eventually let go. Not the way I would have wished for though. It pushed me away, and I stumbled to the ground. He turned his back to us and began to walk over to the other Slytherins. What happened next was totally unexpected.  
  
George took a huge step and grabbed him by the shoulder, spinning him so they were facing each other. I shrieked as I watched George punch him square in the jaw.  
  
"You bastard!" he yelled as he hit him again, this time across the face, giving Montague a bloody nose. As stupid as he was, Montague wasn't weak. He fought right back and got a good hit right above George's eye. George stumbled a few steps back, but wasn't going to let one hit get the best of him. He punched Montague square in the stomach, Ryan falling down flat on his back in pain. George leaned over him, getting in every hit he possibly could. It took both Lee and Fred to pry him off the now-shaking Montague, whose pretty boy features looked scared and dark.  
  
Even with the two of them, they were having trouble holding him back. He was pumped with such adrenaline, a whole army probably couldn't have held him back. He broke free of their grasps, but they each grabbed him by the arms, not letting him budge. With some help from Adrian Pucey, Montague stood up, bloodied up, and covered in dirt.  
  
"Come on Ryan," he said, beginning to walk up to the castle, supporting his friend, who could barely walk right. "Let's get out of here." Blake, Amy, and Shannon followed them.  
  
"I swear to fucking God Montague!" George called to him as Fred and Lee released their grip on him. "You ever touch her again and I'll kill you!" He had tiny drops of blood above his left eye where Ryan had hit him, falling down his face. He sat down on a tree stump, Lee, Fred, and Angelina gathering around him, along with the rest of the Gryffindors.  
  
I had witnessed the whole scene from the spot where I had fallen, knowing it was my fault. Katie hated me. George hated me. Everyone else hated me. So I did the only thing I could think to do; I ran.  
  
I got up and ran as fast as I could. I didn't know where I was going, but I was running my hardest to get there. As I ran, I could feel hot tears pounding my face. I found myself stopping at the Quidditch Pitch. I looked up into the empty stands, and slowly made my way up to the highest seat in the Gryffindor section. I sat in a cold, metal seat in the middle of the row.  
  
I was a mess. My hair was all over my face, and my eyes were red and puffy. I tucked my light brown hair behind my ears and sunk lower in my seat. As low as I felt. He was so right. I should have just told them from the beginning. Now my best friend hated me.  
  
Katie had looked so hurt. And I was the one that had hurt her. Best friends are supposed to be able to tell each other everything and trust each other. I broke that trust. I felt like shit.  
  
And for the whole day, that's what I did. I sat there, ignoring my classes, just sitting in that one seat until 11:30 at night, telling myself how much I screwed up. When I was sure everyone was asleep, I snuck back into the castle and up to Gryffindor Tower. No one was in there except for Hermione Granger, half asleep doing her homework.  
  
I crept up to my room, where Angelina and Katie were sound asleep. I kicked off my shoes, and without changing; I crawled into bed, pulling the covers up around my neck.  
  
"I'm sorry guys," I whispered before I cried myself to sleep.  
  
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  
  
Well, there it was! Chapter 9! Did you like it? I turned out okay. But let me know what you thought! REVIEW! And only one person read and reviewed my story "Perfect" PLEASE read it and let me know what you think of it! It's a songfic, but it was the first HP story I wrote, so please let m know your opinion!  
  
This chapter was yet again dedicated to Jagged Epiphany, because maybe if I do that again, you'll FINISH YOUR CHAPTER!  
  
+Jagged Epiphany- Again, no more comments until you update! That's the rules!  
  
+Yoshi-fan2003- Now you know! Now you know! Now you know where the letter went!  
  
+Mooni- Wow! I'm better than George/Hermione stories! I don't like to read those, but anyway... THANKS! That means a lot to me! And thanks for reviewing "Perfect" You were the only one!  
  
+CassandraTheEvil- I forgive you! Lol! I'm a very forgiving person! 


	10. Apologies

Disclaimer: You know the drill: I don't own it!  
  
It's been a while. Here you are. Have fun. Review. Love me. JUNE 4th=Harry Potter Day! Prisoner of Azkaban. .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-  
  
When I woke up the next morning, Katie was gone. Her bed was made and everything. Angelina was just coming out of the bathroom.  
  
"She's devastated you know," she said blankly as she sat on her bed, putting her shoes on. "She took it real personal. She thought maybe that you feel like you can't trust her. I don't blame her. But I know you would never hurt any of us on purpose."  
  
I sighed. "Angelina, I'm really sorry. I should have told you guys."  
  
"Yeah," she replied. "You should have."  
  
"I know," I agreed. "And I guess I knew all along that I should have told you guys. I'll apologize to everyone before tryouts today, okay?"  
  
"Okay," Angelina nodded. "You're going to miss breakfast if you don't hurry up you know." And for the first time since the 'incident', I saw her smile. She walked over to me and gave me a hug. "Lich, just know, from now on, if there's something you need to tell someone about, we're always here."  
  
"Thanks Angie," I smiled as I hugged her. "You're the best."  
  
"Alright," she replied. I guess her Quidditch captain mode was kicking in. "Now hurry up. Get something to eat. I don't want any anorexic players fainting on my team, got it?"  
  
"Got it," I laughed as she left the room. I hurried up and showered and changed into my Quidditch robes. I shoved the rest of my equipment into a bag and hurried out of the dorm, broom over my shoulder.  
  
.........  
  
I didn't have time to eat a full breakfast, so I grabbed a few pieces of toast and ran out to the pitch. When I got there, Angelina and Fred were making sure everything was set up right. Katie and Lee were sitting in the bleachers, talking. Katie had her back to me, and Lee sat in the row above hers, facing me. He spotted me and waved. Katie turned around, saw it was me, and turned right back around.  
  
"Ouch," I heard from behind me. "That was cold."  
  
"I know George," I replied to the redhead as I pulled on my Quidditch gloves. I knew I had to talk to him. After all, he did stick up for me. Not that I needed it or anything... I looked at my watch.  
  
"Come on," I said to George as I tugged at the sleeve of his black tee shirt. "We're going on a walk."  
  
"Wait, why?" he asked as I pulled him along. "Lich, the tryouts."  
  
"We have time, don't worry. Besides, Harry isn't even here yet." I assured. "I want to talk to you." He gave up his struggle and followed me until we reached the lake. We began to walk around the lake, walking slowly.  
  
"Alicia, what's this about?" He asked me. "I mean, Angelina is going to kill us."  
  
"George, shut up."  
  
"No Lich, I'm serious. Angelina's gonna freak."  
  
"George, I said shut up."  
  
"You know what Lich, when tryouts start without us, it's going to be all-"  
  
"George!" I interrupted him for the last time. I reached up and covered his mouth with my hand. "I said shut up. Shut up and listen. We won't be late for tryouts. We still have twenty minutes. Now are you going to be quiet so I can talk?" He nodded yes, and I removed my hand.  
  
"I just wanted to say thank you about yesterday."  
  
"What was yesterday?" he asked, looking at me like I was crazy.  
  
"Don't be stupid George," I rolled my eyes. "Yesterday with Montague."  
  
He just shrugged. "It was nothing. He was out of line. I just put him in his place."  
  
"Why though?" I asked. "You were mad at me, weren't you? Why'd you stick up for me?"  
  
"Of course I was mad at you for not telling them, but it made me so angry to see him hurt you like that. He called you a... a Mudblood. Doesn't that hurt?"  
  
"I'll be the first to tell you it feels like shit," I admitted. "But I know that's he's just a worthless prat, and his opinion means dirt to me. But I still don't get it though. If you were so mad at me, why did you do it?"  
  
"Yeah, well I wasn't gonna let him push you around like that," he replied. He stopped walking and I did the same. He placed his hands on my shoulders and I was facing him. "Listen, Lich, you may think that I don't care, but I really do. And you need to get that through your head. I care."  
  
I froze. Was he being serious? I looked up at him. For the first time in my life, I realized that his eyes were green. I always just figured they were brown like his brother's.  
  
"George," I blinked. "Your eyes."  
  
"There's two of them," he said plainly. He took his hands off my shoulders. "Now if we don't get back, Angelina can easily arrange Chaser and Beater tryouts today too."  
  
"You're right," I nodded. I turned around and we began walking again. "I just wanted to say thanks again."  
  
"No problem," George shrugged. "Just don't make me have to do it again. I had an awful headache after the whole thing."  
  
"Everyone else hates me, don't they?" I asked as we walked back to the pitch. "Everyone except you and Angelina."  
  
"They don't hate you," George explained. "Lee and Fred, they're just worried about you. They want to make sure you're alright."  
  
"And Katie?"  
  
"Katie's just so upset that you didn't tell her. She asked me if she was a bad friend or something." He answered, giving me an answer I didn't want to hear. "She wouldn't let any of us look for you yesterday. She said that if you wanted to talk to us, you'd find us."  
  
I sighed. I felt like the worst person in the world. "What do I do George?" I asked as we approached the pitch. "What do I say to her?"  
  
He just simply threw a comforting arm around my shoulders as we walked, and replied, "The truth." We walked the rest of the way in silence.  
  
When we reached the pitch, everyone was there. I looked at my watch. The keepers would be showing up in a half hour. Everyone was sitting on the bleachers, so George and I joined them. I sat next to Lee. He was going to be taking notes for us. Angelina stood up and stood in front of us.  
  
"Before I give my first speech as a captain," she began. I knew what was coming. I was dreading it, yet I wanted to get it over with. "I think Alicia would like to like to say something."  
  
I sighed. It was now or never. I slowly stood up and made my way to where Angelina stood. I took her place, and she went and sat in my seat. I took a deep breath and began.  
  
"Wow," I sighed. "Where to start? Okay, first off, I know you guys are mad at me, and I give you every reason to be. Hell, I'd hate myself too. I should have told you guys about my parents. It was stupid of me not to. But I knew, you guys being the amazing friends you are, would worry about me. And I didn't want anyone's pitty. And I'm so sorry that you guys had to find out the way you did. I wish I could go back and change it all, but I can't. You guys, I'm really sorry." There. I did it. Now, I wished I could crawl into a whole and rot forever.  
  
I could tell Fred was about to say something, but Katie cut him off.  
  
"So you just figured that if you didn't tell anyone that it would make things go back to normal?" she asked. She was still mad. I knew it.  
  
"Well yeah, I guess," I shrugged. "I know now that I was wrong though. I should have told you guys."  
  
"Yeah, you should have," Katie shot back. "You know, if you don't trust us, you can at least tell us."  
  
"Katie, it's not like that at all!" I replied.  
  
"Then what is it Lich? Because you lied to us. You kept shit from us and said you were fine when you weren't."  
  
"Katie, she had good intentions," Lee said to Katie, who was sitting in front of him.  
  
"She was still wrong!" Katie said to Lee, turning around and giving him an evil glance.  
  
"I don't know how many times I can say it Katie," I practically yelled at her. "I'm sorry. I'm really sorry Katie. I knew you guys would feel bad for me, and I didn't want that. I wanted things to be normal. You're my best friend Katie. I would never keep something from you if I knew it was going to hurt you." I could feel my eyes begin to well up with tears. "My judgment was so bad, and I was being selfish." Oh no. Here they came. Bring on the waterworks. Not just from me, but from Katie as well.  
  
"Alicia, you should know you can tell me anything," she said to me, tears pouring from her eyes, just like me. "We're best friends. Best friends tell each other everything." She made her way down the bleachers, and was now standing in front of me. She threw her arms around me, and gave me a huge hug. "Don't you ever do that again!"  
  
"Uh, you two better dry it up quick," Fred interrupted our moment. "Because here come the Keepers."  
  
And sure enough, walking up to the Pitch was five students; all looking scared out of their minds.  
  
.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.- .-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.  
  
Well, there it was. I know you're thinking a few things... Where the hell have you been?  
Answer: Busy as fudge! It's been almost a month I think since I last  
updated, and I feel bad because of it, but here I am! School's almost  
over (twelve school days left), and I'll have more time to write then. Why is the chapter so short?  
Answer: Because I felt bad for not writing for almost a month. This  
was going to be the first half of it, but I decided just to post this  
as it's own chapter.  
  
Mooni- Yup! Yay! Another chapter! Hope you like this (short) one too!  
  
Jagged Epiphany- My dedications worked! My dedications worked! Now go write more, pleeeeease!  
  
Yoshi-fan2003- Have fun on your trip! I'm going to Norway this summer, so I'll be gone for THREE WEEKS!  
  
Andrewsmyprincess- It's fixed! It's fixed. Is that better?  
  
Stephenie Wilcox- And I agree, but that's George's way of showing how much he cares for Alicia. He was driven by anger. 


	11. Truth or Dare?

It's been a while. What am I supposed to say here...? Oh yeah, don't own it!  
  
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!  
  
"Oh my God," I groaned, flopping down, flat on my back, right in the middle of the Quidditch Pitch. "I don't think I've ever thrown that much in my life."  
  
"My arm is gonna fall off," Katie added, same tone as mine. She flopped down right next to me, and rested her head on my stomach. "It feels like we've started practices with Wood again."  
  
"Even Wood didn't make us work for [b]eleven hours![/b]" Fred nodded, falling to the ground. "Angelina, tryouts began at eight, and it's seven now. We JUST ended."  
  
"It's getting dark," George added, resting the back of his head on Katie's legs. "Can't we go in?"  
  
"Yeah. We all voted. It's a unanimous vote Angelina. We all want Ron as out Keeper." Harry spoke up. "We've been out here too long."  
  
Angelina sighed. You could tell that she was tired too. She looked over to Lee, who had been taking notes during the whole tryouts. "What do you think Lee?" she asked him. "Lee? Lee... LEE!" We all (except Angelina) laughed. Lee had fallen asleep, still clutching his clipboard.  
  
"Come on Angelina! I'm hungry!"  
  
"Shut up Fred, you're always hungry," Angelina rolled her eyes. She looked at her watch, up to the castle, and back to us. By now, we were all giving her the pouty faces and puppy dog eyes. "Oh fine," she gave in, cracking a smile. "One of you inform Ron. I've got to go tell Professor McGonagall of our choice."  
  
We all tried to stand up, but were so sore from shooting Quaffles and beating Bludgers at the potential Keepers. We slowly and painfully began to get up, one by one. With a little help from Harry, I was on my feet. I was impressed by Harry. He'd grown up so much over the years. He used to be this scared little boy, but now, he was a confident, wonderful Seeker. I gave him credit.  
  
Fred and George decided that they would be the ones who would wake Lee. We all should have known that was a bad idea. Katie, Angelina, Harry, and I were all making our way off the pitch when we heard a scream, then a few bangs, zips, and cracks. We turned around, only to see red and gold fireworks being shot off. What a great way to wake someone up. Harry, Katie, and I laughed, but Angelina didn't seem too happy. She rolled her eyes at the twins, and with a huff, marched back up to the castle.  
  
The twins, and a very startled looking Lee made their way over to us eventually.  
  
"Brilliant," I laughed, slinging an arm over Fred's shoulder, which didn't exactly work, seeing he was pushing six feet, and I stood barely 5'5. And to think; Katie's a few inches shorter than me.  
  
"Shorty," Fred smirked. "Honestly Alicia, seventeen, and you're still the size of a second year. Go grow." I rolled my eyes, grinning, giving his a push. He just about fell off the dirt path that led up to the castle. Everyone laughed, and the rest of the walk back consisted of me chasing Fred back up to the castle.  
  
"Morgana Dinkleshaff was the first female to join the ministry to fight the Dark Arts," Professor Binns was standing, or rather floating, in the front of the classroom. History of Magic... how fun. It had been a week since tryouts, and I was still a little sore.  
  
"Psst! Licha! Lee!" Katie whispered from the next table over where she sat with Angelina. I sat with Lee, and Fred and George sat together. Both the twins had fallen asleep and had their heads down on the desk. My head had kept dropping on Lee's shoulder, and Angelina was just staring off into space.  
  
"Hmm?" I asked Katie, trying to stay awake. This was the worst class ever. We learned the same stuff over and over again every year. The only reason why Professor Binns knew so much about the subject was because he was alive when it happened. "You don't have to whisper Kate... he can't hear you."  
  
"You're right," Katie rolled her eyes. "Tonight we all need to meet at the pitch. We haven't gotten a chance to all hang out. We've been so busy with homework and practice, I don't think I've had a conversation with you in days."  
  
"Great idea," I grinned, waking up a little.  
  
"Yeah, I almost forgot what you look like Katie," Lee joked.  
  
"Tell the twins to be out there at twelve," Katie said. I nodded in agreement and scooted out of my seat and walked over to a table, occupied by a pair of sleeping red-headed boys. Professor Binns just kept teaching.  
  
"Hey losers, wake up," I said, kneeling in front of their desk, resting my arms on top of it. I got no response. "Hey losers, I said wake up." Nothing. I tapped them both on the shoulders. Nothing. I looked back over to Katie and Lee and shrugged. Lee put his text book in his bag, and I got an idea. I slowly pulled the book out from under George, making sure that wasn't what woke him. I took the book, held it as high as I could over my head. I slammed it down between the two, making a huge BANG! Professor Binns didn't even look. I swear, they both jumped a mile.  
  
"It was Percy!" Fred yelped, obviously in instinct. I laughed. "Hmm, oh, Alicia."  
  
"What was that for?" George asked, wide-eyed and breathing heavily. Hehe... scaring twins is fun!  
  
"Listen up losers," I replied, ignoring George's question. "Tonight, be at the pitch at midnight."  
  
"Why?" Fred asked.  
  
"Don't worry about it. We're just going to hang out."  
  
"Well then why don't we all just go together?" He replied.  
  
"You're losing your touch, you know that, right?" George said to his brother. "Because if we all go together, we're likely to get caught."  
  
"I can't think on an empty stomach!" Fred defended himself.  
  
"Whatever," I rolled my eyes at the two. "Just be at the pitch at midnight. DON'T get caught!"  
  
"Alicia dear," George laughed. "You don't have to worry about us getting caught. We are THE Fred and George Weasley. We don't get caught."  
  
"Yeah," Fred agreed. "We should be the ones telling you not to get caught."  
  
"Go back to sleep," I, yet again, rolled my eyes. They both shrugged, and layed their heads back down on the desk.  
  
By the end of the class, it was settled. At midnight, we'd all meet at the pitch. We'd leave Gryffindor Tower in pairs and make our way out to the field. I could already tell, as I was walking out of class, this was going to be one crazy night.  
  
"Ow, Lich, get off my foot,"  
  
"Then watch your hands," I whispered harshly to Lee. "That was NOT my arm."  
  
"Sorry..." The two of us were crammed behind a gargoyle statue. We had been doing fine, making our way down the dark halls, when we heard footsteps. We poked our heads around the corner, only to spot Mr. Filch. We quickly dove behind the gargoyle and waited until he passed.  
  
"That was close," Lee whispered, and I agreed. We finally made our way to the front of the castle and slipped out the front doors. Then, it was a sprint to the pitch. We made it with no problems. Katie and Angelina were already there.  
  
"I didn't think we were gonna make it," I said, catching my breath. "Filch almost spotted us,"  
  
"We almost ran into Snape, but he turned the corridor before he spotted us," Angelina informed us. The four of us walked down to the hoops at the far end of the pitch.  
  
"Hey, where are the twins?" Lee asked once we were down there.  
  
"You know those two," Katie rolled her eyes. "They can never be on time for anything." We ignored it for a few minutes, but we all soon kept glancing at our watches.  
  
"You guys," I spoke up. "It's 12:16. They had to have gotten caught." We were all thinking it, but I had been the one to say it.  
  
"I told you, we DON'T get caught Alicia," I heard a familiar voice say. Fred and George were walking on to the pitch from the opposite direction of the castle. Their arms were full of cardboard boxes. The made their way over to us and set the boxes down on the grass. We all peered into the boxes.  
  
"Butterbeer and half of Honeydukes' stock," Fred boasted with a grin.  
  
"Do you guys honestly think we'd arrive without it?" George added.  
  
I honestly don't know how they do it, those two. I give them credit though. Sneaking around Hogsmeade like that.  
  
"You two need to stop stealing that stuff," Angelina said with a tone matching a mother scolding her child for walking in the house with muddy boots.  
  
"Who said we stole it?" Fred defended himself and his brother.  
  
"Yeah," George said with a nod. "We didn't steal any of it. We simply left the money on the counter."  
  
"You know you're going to get caught one of these days," Katie replied. "It's really bad karma."  
  
"Katie," George said matter-of-factly. "I'll say it once more. We don't get caught."  
  
Katie kept going on about Fred and George's bad karma, and how it's all going to catch up with them in the end. We all just laughed at her while Fred passed around the butterbeer.  
  
"What kind of candy do you have in here?" I asked as I tried to open the box.  
  
"What kind of candy don't we have in here?" George replied, more as an answer than a question. He took the box from me, opened it, and gave it back. I rummaged through the Acid Pops, Canary Creams, Fizzing Whizbees, Jelly Slugs, and Bertie Bott's, all until I found what I was looking for, Sugar Quills and strawberry Chocoballs. Sugar Quills were my favorite.  
  
"So what's on the agenda for tonight?" Lee asked.  
  
"HA!" Katie replied. "What agenda? We're all just hanging out tonight. Lord knows the last time we got to do that. We've had so much work this year."  
  
"They're really packing it down for NEWTs," Angelina added with a nod.  
  
"You guys, just think," I said, opening my butterbeer. "This is out last year. No more Hogwarts after this. We'll play our last Quidditch match together. We'll take out last exams together. We'll get one more ride on the Hogwarts Express together, and then that's it." I hadn't really thought about it until then. And the thought scared me.  
  
"ALICIA!" exclaimed Katie. "Don't say that! You're gonna make me cry. There will be NO crying tonight, got it?"  
  
How could you think of depressing things when Katie was yelling at you? "Got it," I replied with a laugh. Katie always made me laugh.  
  
"I've got an idea," Fred said as I unwrapped a Sugar Quill. "Katie, truth or dare?"  
  
"Oh, gosh," Angelina said with a roll of her eyes. "Remember what happened last time we played truth or dare?"  
  
"We all ended up with detention for a week," Lee added.  
  
"Yeah, but there's no one out here to catch us," Fred said with a smirk. "So Katie, truth or dare?"  
  
With a sigh, Katie replied, "Truth."  
  
"Okay," Fred said with an evil grin. "What exactly is going on with you and Davies?" Katie turned beat red.  
  
"Um... nothing?" Katie said, more of a question than an answer.  
  
"Yeah right," Angelina laughed. "She'll come in to our room late at night practically floating after her little 'study sessions' with him."  
  
"He helps me with my Herbology homework," Katie defended. We all just gave her that 'yeah right' look. "Okay! Fine!" she gave in. "So we've kissed once... or twice. Okay, a few times, but THAT'S IT!"  
  
"So are you two together then?" George asked.  
  
"No," Katie replied, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "It means nothing. And he really does help me with my homework. But it just gets sooooo boring in the library sometimes, and you can only read about so many plants before they all start to sound the same. There. I spilled. Someone else's turn. Ummm... Angelina, truth or dare?"  
  
And this continued for who knows how long. After many embarrassing stunts and many embarrassing questions, we were almost out of candy, and the butterbeer was all gone.  
  
"Alicia," George said as I was chewing on a Chocoball. "Truth or dare?" I figured that I embarrassed myself enough on my last dare; I'd take the safe route. Or so I thought.  
  
"Truth," I answered, wondering what he'd ask me.  
  
"Okay," he began. "What bothers you the most about your parents splitting up?"  
  
Out of nowhere, a sharp pain made it's way to the middle of my stomach. I didn't want to answer that question. "Uh, can I have a different question?" I asked.  
  
"Nope," George said with a simple shrug.  
  
"George, I really don't want to answer that question. It's too personal,"  
  
"You didn't seem to think it was too personal when you asked me about my biggest fear, Lich. I told you exactly what I'm scared of the most. You think I wanted to tell you that the thing I'm scared of the most is being rejected? So no, you can't have another question."  
  
"I'm NOT answering that George! It's not fair!"  
  
"You're going to chicken out? How grown up Lich! You can't even answer a simple question!"  
  
"Would you two stop yelling?" Angelina urged. "Someone's going hear, and we're all going to get busted. Stop your bickering and shut it."  
  
It was like neither of us had heard her.  
  
"I'm not CHICKENING OUT, George!" I said, disgusted. "That's a personal question about my family, and I don't think I should have to answer that!"  
  
"Typical you, Alicia," George said with a roll of his eyes.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean? Typical me? You want me to tell you? Fine, George, I'll tell you! You know what bothers me the most about them splitting up? I've told you before, everything used to be perfect at home! And now it's not! I have to be one of those kids who see their fathers every other holiday! Not that you would know what that's like though! Mr. 'I Have The Perfect Life'"  
  
Wow... where did all that come from? Talk about hormonal. It was bad enough like that. But no. I wasn't finished.  
  
"I'm going to have two addresses. I'll have a different name than my mother. There. Are you happy now? I answered your stupid question!"  
  
"Would you two calm down?" Fred said, obviously annoyed. They all gave us that 'Shut up or I'm going to kill you' look, but yet again, we paid no attention.  
  
"You think I have the perfect life?" George questioned, sounding almost amused. "Everything I own is rubbish! I'm lucky my parents have enough money to FEED us kids. I'm failing Potions, and I've got YOU screaming at me. Real perfect, huh Lich?"  
  
"That's ENOUGH!" Lee said, finally getting our attention. "I thought you two were done with this crap? Look at you! You're fighting like children. You're just embarrassing yourselves and you're going to get us caught."  
  
We knew that he was right. So we both turned in opposite directions and said not one word the rest of the night. Not one.  
  
Well there it was. I'll be the first to say it... that chapter SUCKED! I know it. But I hadn't written in so long, and it wasn't fair to yall if I didn't write something soon. But yeah, there it is. REVIEW please, even if it's to tell me how bad that sucked.  
  
--Blandsaft- I like cookies and singing too! What a coincidence! Well, here's your wish!  
  
--Mooni- THANK YOU FOR READING! AND THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING!  
  
--Jagged Epiphany- I'm going to do the whole 'no comments to you until you update' thing again. It worked last time, so maybe it'll happen again!  
  
--Yoshi-fan2003- Yeah, three weeks is FOREVER, but I'm hoping to have a few more chapters before I go. I leave July 6th.  
  
--DayDreamer743- I hope you like it!  
  
--IhopeForAnarchy- I've got something that might make you angry! It's about my new story! Looks at you evilly It's about Katie and... NOT OLIVER! Muhahaha! You'll see who it's about. Although from reading this chapter, I'm sure you'll figure it out... 


	12. Craving Attention

Have no fear! Krista is here! This is just a warning, but this will be the last chapter I get out for a while. I'll be leaving tomorrow for three weeks on vacation. So enjoy this one.  
  
Oh yeah, almost forgot, I DO NOT OWN IT! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- =-=  
  
I was really getting sick and tired of walking along the same stupid beach, seeing the same stupid horizon, feeling the same stupid sand, and laughing the same stupid laugh as I walked with the same stupid person. It was driving my crazy.  
  
"Who ARE you?" I said as I woke up. I threw my pillow to the end of my bed in frustration.  
  
"Who's who?" Katie asked, flinging open my bed curtains. The sun shined in bright through the window.  
  
"Hmm? Oh, nothing," I replied, dragging myself out of bed. "What time is it?"  
  
"Nine. Angelina's been up since seven, scribbling in her play book. Practices start next week, and she's freaking out.  
  
"That's Angelina for you," I shrugged. "Up early on a Saturday. But you have to love her. What time were you up?"  
  
"Eight,"  
  
"Why were you up so early?"  
  
"Duh," she said with an obvious expression. "Hogsmeade. Don't tell me you forgot."  
  
In fact, I had. I had completely forgotten that it was a Hogsmeade weekend.  
  
"Why didn't you wake me up? You normally do."  
  
"Well after we all came back last night, you were still pissed. You fell asleep as soon as you hit the pillow. I figured I'd let you sleep."  
  
She was right. I looked in the mirror over my dresser and saw that I hadn't even bothered to change into pajamas. I was still in the same clothes from yesterday.  
  
"You know Alicia," Katie said, brushing her dirty blonde hair. I looked over to her. She was sitting cross-legged on her bed. "When are you and George going to let things go? You two hadn't been fighting in so long. What happened?"  
  
"He hit a nerve that wasn't meant to be hit," I replied. "He shouldn't have asked me that. You all know how touchy I am about my parents. And he knows more than anyone."  
  
"I know that Lich, but you know George. He's just as stubborn as his brother, if not, more stubborn. When his mind is set on something, he doesn't stop until he gets it. And he obviously wanted to know bad enough, because he knew if he asked, he'd get an answer."  
  
"I bet he asked me to annoy me, simply because he knew I'd get mad. Same thing as he used to do. Starting fights with me just for the fun or arguing."  
  
"Well whatever it is, will you two please knock it off?" Katie said. I could tell she was serious. "Don't you remember our talk the first night of school?"  
  
"I know Katie, I know," I assured her. "I'll talk to him. I don't know if he'll listen, but I'll try."  
  
"Thank you," Katie replied as she tossed her brush to the side. She gave me one of her smiles that let me know she wasn't mad at me. "Now hurry up and get dressed and get your ass down in the common room." And with that, she hopped off her bed and skipped out of the room.  
  
I showered and threw on some black track pants and a gray tank top. How exciting, I know.  
  
Katie, Angelina, and Fred were already down in the common room.  
  
"Where's Lee?" I asked.  
  
"What about George?" Angelina asked. "Don't you wan to know where he is too?"  
  
"Not really," I plopped down on the couch next to Fred. Everyone shot me a look. "Sorry guys," I apologized. "Where's Lee AND George?"  
  
"You missed me, didn't you Lich?" I heard a voice from behind me. I turned around and saw Lee and George descending the stairs from the boys' dormitories.  
  
"Why would someone miss you, Jordan?" Katie joked.  
  
"Funny Katie. Very funny," He nodded. "So are you guys ready to go?"  
  
"I just don't see why you made me get so early," George said with a yawn. "There's the whole day."  
  
"Really, George," Fred said disapprovingly. He shook his head. "Everyone knows Zonko's gets their new shipments every Saturday MORNING."  
  
George rolled his eyes at his brother. "How silly of me to forget," he replied. He looked just as tired as I felt. "Let's just go." Everyone stood up and made their way to the portrait hole. Everyone except Angelina.  
  
Angelina sat in a chair, oblivious to the rest of the world. She scribbled away on her note pad. "If one Chaser flies here, wait, no, that won't work." She crossed something out.  
  
"Angelina, are you coming?" I asked. She didn't even hear me. "ANGELINA!" I repeated, this time louder.  
  
"Hmm? Oh, coming." She set everything down and joined the rest of us out the door.  
  
I'd always loved the walk to Hogsmeade. It makes you realize how green the grounds of Hogwarts really are. When we finally reached the streets of Hogsmeade, I woke right up. The streets were busy with students. I laughed when I saw some of the third years looking around in awe. I thought back to my first visit to Hogsmeade. Fred gave me an acid pop from Honeydukes, and I was mad at him or weeks because there was a big hole in my tongue. I laugh about it now, but then, I was furious.  
  
We all began to walk towards the end of town where the shops were, when George pulled me by the back of the shirt.  
  
"Let me go," I scowled at him.  
  
"I want to talk," he said simply, letting go of my shirt.  
  
"So talk to yourself," I shrugged and kept walking. I was still mad about the previous night.  
  
"Please?"  
  
I stopped and turned around. "What do you want?"  
  
"I was out of line last night," he said simply.  
  
"I know," I shrugged. "You stopped me to tell me that?"  
  
"No. I stopped you to apologize."  
  
"Oh,"  
  
"I shouldn't have expected you to answer that," he shook his head. "I guess I just really wanted to know what was going on in your mind. You don't tell me anything anymore. Right when I thought we were developing a friendship just like we used to have, you go off and ignore me again. So I figured if I really wanted to know what was going on in your head, I'd just ask you then. But now I realize how stupid it was, and you have every reason to be mad at me. I'm really sorry."  
  
"Oh," was all I could think of.  
  
"So that's it?" George asked me, looking confused. "No girly slap? No 'I hate you. Go away?'"  
  
"Nope," I shook my head. "George, listen, I overreacted last night too. I acted like a little girl, and I should have just told you in the first place. But George, I don't ignore you."  
  
"You don't realize it, but you do," he corrected me. "Just like how all this mess started a few years ago. And I don't want that to happen again. Not when we're finally beginning to be friends again."  
  
Oops.  
  
"I don't do it intentionally," I informed him. "I'm sorry George. I promise it won't happen anymore. If I do it again, just look at me and yell 'ALICIA! PAY ATTENTION TO ME!' and I'll drop what I'm doing and hang out with you."  
  
That made him laugh. "That makes me sound like an attention craving little kid."  
  
"No. You're an attention craving big kid."  
  
"Come on," George laughed, throwing an arm around my shoulders. "The others are miles ahead." We went ahead and began walking to catch up with the others.  
  
"You know, this always happens lately," I said as we quickened our pace.  
  
"What always happens?" he asked.  
  
"We get into this huge argument, then the next day, you say something that totally makes me change my mind."  
  
He laughed at that too. "You could never say mad at me for too long." We finally reached the others and saw Fred looked over his shoulder.  
  
"Oi, George, hurry up!" he called. "Zonko's is opening in approximately 15 seconds." With that, George gave me a shrug and ran to the shop with his brother and Lee. Yup. Al boy craving for attention.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- =-=  
  
Well, there is it. It's short. I wanted to write more, but I'm leaving for Europe in about 10 hours, so I wanted to get a chapter out so I didn't have to make you wait almost a month. Shutouts next chapter... no time now...  
  
Btw... the Trapt concert was awesome. Chris Brown is SEXY! 


	13. Forgotten Essays

Okay guys, don't kill me. I know, it's been FOREVER! But I have an explanation! I promise! Just blame hurricanes, writer's block, Europe, holidays, and me being lazy. But mostly writer's block. Sorry to keep you guys waiting for so long. I feel crappy about it- just about as crappy as this chapter, but at it's something, right? And note that this is probably the worst chapter of the whole story. It's so… eww. You would figure that since it took me like four months to put together, it would be good, but noooooo. I suck.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it. Although, I do tend to borrow Fred every once and a while so he can help me with my homework.

"You two are so weird," Katie said to me as us girls waited for Fred, Lee, and George outside of Zonko's.

"**What are you talking about?" I asked, perplexed. "Who's weird?"**

"**You and George," Angelina replied for her, shrugging her shoulders.**

"**Exactly," Katie confirmed. "One day you two'll be worst enemies, throwing insults sharp enough to kill, but after a good night's sleep and a little talk, you'll be best friends. It's like you guys are bipolar or something."**

"**I'm NOT bipolar!" I laughed. I took what Katie had said into consideration. It was weird the way George and I hated each other, but could soon act like it had never happened. "I guess we just don't like being mad at each other."**

"**Alicia, you two stayed mad at each other for years," Angelina pointed out. **

"**But like you guys have said before, it's out last year," I reminded them. "I don't want to spend it bickering over stupid little things that mean nothing." **

**The answer seemed to suit them, and the subject was dropped. **

**After what seemed like hours, the boys finally emerged from the joke shop, arms full of bags, which seemed to be weighing them down.**

"**And you say WE shop a lot?" Angelina said with a roll of her eyes.**

"**Lich, remind me not to go near them for at least a week," Katie said, nudging me with her elbow. "They have enough crap in those bags to blow someone up I bet."**

"**I'm with you," I nodded. "I kind of plan on graduating from Hogwarts in one piece, thank you."**

"**You girls shut it," George said, setting his many bags on the ground. "Or else you WILL end up graduating in a million pieces. Now, where to?" **

**.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.8.**

**I hate mornings. Whoever invented mornings just might suck. Especially mornings when you wake up from that same stupid dream… Oh, and ones where you have three boys bounding into your room at 7:00 on a Sunday.**

**Which is exactly how Angelina, Katie, and I were woken up.**

"**You girls sleep like rocks," Fred said, practically leaping on my bed. He occupied the space next to me. "These beds really are more comfortable than ours."**

"**Hey, you're right!" Lee agreed, bouncing on Katie's.**

"**You're messing up my bed!" Katie grumbled, kicking him off. Sure enough, he had pulled her pink comforter off the bed and onto the floor.**

"**What can you jerks possibly want at this ungodly hour?" Angelina complained, looking from Fred, who was taking up just about my whole bed, to Lee, who was knocked on the ground, wrapped up in Katie's quilt, to George, who was leaning against the doorway, grin on his face, shaking his head.**

"**If you must know," George replied. "It's a wonderful day and the weather is perfect outside."**

"**Yeah," Fred agreed. He rolled over too far, sending me falling off the bed. "Sorry Lich," he said, simply shrugging. "If we didn't wake you dorks up, you'd sleep until eleven."**

"No," Katie shook her head, snatching her blanket back from Lee. "Alicia would sleep until eleven. Me and Angie would be up by nine. But you dorkwads ruined that."

"But wait," I said, getting up off the ground and going to sit on Angelina's bed with her, since it was currently un-boy occupied. "What does nice weather have to do with the fact that it's seven 'o' clock and we're awake?"

"Lich, isn't it obvious?" George asked, his tall figure still leaning in the doorway. I gave him a confused look, which only caused him to sigh. "It'd be a shame to let you girls sleep through a nice day like this when there's much better things to outside."

"Really Alicia," Lee said, shaking his head as if he were disappointed in me. "You should know this."

"What did you have in mind?" Angelina asked, all of us awake by now. "Because we're NOT going to Zonko's again. We hate that store."

"We're not going to Hogsmeade again," Fred replied. "And we don't have any real plans. Just hanging around by the lake or something."

"So you bums get dressed!" George ordered.

"Who died and made you king?" I asked.

"Half the kings in the world are named George," he explained. "It's fate, my dear Alicia. Now shut your yapping and get dressed."

"Maybe if you gits would leave, we could!" Katie yelled. "GET OUT!" She shoved them out of the room and the three of us sighed.

Here we go again…

--------------------------------------

"So I'm thinking six practices a week. That's not too bad, right?"

The six of us lounged around the gardens of the grounds, tossing a Quaffle back and fourth.

"Ang, you're CRAZY!" Katie complained, catching the Quaffle that was thrown to her by Fred. "There's no way I'm practicing six times a week."

"She I is /I crazy," Lee said, shaking his head.

"Why not?" Angelina asked. "And Lee, you shut it. You don't even play."

"I don't know if you noticed or not, Angelina," George said as Katie tossed him the Quaffle. "But there's only seven days in a week. That only gives us one day to relax."

"We might as well start calling you Wood," I complained. Katie spoke for us all when she had said we wouldn't practice six days a week. George tossed the Quaffle to Angelina who simply rolled her eyes at us.

"Don't you guys want to beat Slytherin?" she asked, seeming slightly annoyed.

"Of course we do," Fred explained. "But we i do /i have lives, too. There's more homework and more projects this year than we've ever had. How are we going to get it all done?"

Angelina took this into consideration.

"Five," she bargained.

"Two," Katie retaliated.

"Two? No way! Four,"

"Three," I stepped in. Angelina looked around at us. As if we all had one brain, we gave her the puppy dog expression.

"Of fine," she said, smiling, finally giving in. "Three practices a week. No more negotiating. Three, and that's final. So no complaining about homework and essays."

"Speaking of essays…" Fred said, worried look suddenly coming across his face. "Lich, did you finish your Potions essay?"

At the mention of that, I gasped. I had completely forgotten that Professor Snape had assigned us a three-parchment essay on the Draught of the Living Dead.

"Er… no," I admitted. "George, did you?" He shook his head.

"That's due tomorrow, isn't it?" he questioned. "Two rolls of parchment?"

"Three," I corrected. Oh man, we were going to be in trouble. I looked at my watch. It was 3:00.

"We better get going then," George said as the three of us stood up. "We need to go research this stupid thing. See you guys later."

"Good luck," Lee called to us as we made our way back up to the castle. I waved to him, Katie, and Angelina before they were out of reach.

This was going to be a long night.

Okay, really guys, I'm going to apologize right now for this pointless, and by pointless, I mean stupid, not needed, dumb chapter. It's kind of just a set up for the next chapter, which I promise, will be MUCH better. Cross my heart! I already know how I want it to go. I just felt so crappy about not putting anything out in so long. I'm sure I lost half my readers, so let me know if you're still out there. Review!

On the brighter side of things, my guy, Drew Tate, just won the Capitol One Bowl for Iowa! They played LSU. Go Hawkeyes! He's a hottie…

Happy New Year!


	14. Feelings Change

As promised, this chapter is better, and out much sooner, than the last one. I think (Well… hope) you'll really enjoy it. It was kind of hard to write, but I pulled through.

8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-

"How much have you got?"

"Two rolls," I answered Fred. He looked at me in confusion?

"How do you have two rolls of parchment written, and I only have one?" he asked, maybe a little too loudly. Madam Pince shot us a look.

"You three keep it down," she hissed, wagging a finger in our direction. "This is a library." The three of us had been sitting in the library for hours, huddled over piles of Potions books.

"I'm halfway through," George announced. "The problem is that we have everything in these stupid books. There's not enough information to write. My whole last paragraph was a bunch of stuff I pulled out of my ass."

"Lich, let me copy some of yours," Fred pleaded.

"No way," I dropped my quill down in frustration. "This is pointless. I have no intentions on ever creating a Draught of the Living Death Potion. Why write about it?" They both nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, but we still have this stupid essay," George said, rolling his eyes. "Someone go see if there's another book."

"Why can't you go?" his brother retaliated.

"Because I got the last one."

"Yeah," I pointed out. "And I got the set of books before that."

"Oh fine," Fred huffed. With a loud sigh and a glare from Madam Pince, he stomped off in to one of the many isles of enormous shelves of books.

"He's so stubborn," I said after Fred walked away.

"Sorry about him," George apologized. "If it doesn't involve food or Quidditch, he has no motivation. We're lucky he's actually mildly interested in finishing this essay.

"I should be used to it," I said with a shrug. "In the last seven years, nothing has changed. You, however, have stepped it up a bit."

"Yeah, well if my mother received one more owl about how I failed my last exam, she'd have a fit," he explained. "Better late than never, I guess, right?"

I nodded in agreement. "Just make sure once Quidditch starts you keep that in mind. Can you believe she wanted six practices a week?"

"She's just as out of it as Fred," he replied, shaking his head. "But I'm excited about Quidditch this year though. My mum and dad are going to come to a match or two. In all these years, they've never seen us play."

At the mention of his parents, I could feel myself frowning. Why couldn't MY parents come for a match? "Must be nice," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Sorry," he said apologetically. "I shouldn't have said anything."

"No, it's fine," I shrugged. "I can't get upset any time someone mentions parents. I'd never get through life that way. It's just… a little disappointing, you know? I know that when I go home this summer or for the winter holiday, it's not going to be the same. It's never going to be the same."

He gave me a sympathetic glance.

"Yeah, but things change, Lich," he said simply. "Feelings change."

"But that quickly? George, it was a sudden thing. It's like one day we were a perfectly happy family, but now, look at it."

"I'll say it again, Alicia, feelings change. Sometimes you just feel differently about someone. You wake up and realize you don't feel the same way about someone any more."

"Like you love someone, then you hate them?" I asked. He nodded.

"Or you hate them, then you love them," He locked his eyes with mine. For the second time, I noticed how incredibly green George's eyes were. Suddenly, there was a slam on the table we sat at.

"'Dark Potions and Their Dark Effects'," Fred said, sitting back down across from us. We snapped out attention to him after he slammed the heavy book on the table. "It's the last Potions book left on the shelves. Bloody awful trying to find it. I'm guessing we'll be able to finish these essays with this book. We better- it took me long enough to find it."

8-8-8-8

"Spinnet! Weasley! Weasley!" I was snapped awake by Professor Snape. "Ten points from Gryffindor-each- for sleeping in class. If I so much as see you three blink, it's detention for a week."

I couldn't help but sigh. Fred, George, and I had stayed up until some ungodly hour in the morning finishing Snape's stupid essay. It was the end of the class, and we were having trouble keeping our eyes open. With a yawn, I tried to stay awake.

"Now," Snape continued. "I graded your essays. Some of you almost came close to a halfway decent grade. The majority of you did awful." He walked up and down the rows, passing back our papers. He finally came to us. "Next time, maybe, you three will actually do the research next time. You all fail." He threw the essays on the table. They all had a big red X on the whole front page. "You Gryffindors fail."

"Didn't do the research?" Fred asked, appalled. "Professor Snape, we did tons of research.

"Yeah!" George agreed. "We read every Potions book in the library!"

"Ten points from Gryffindor for back talking a professor,"

"But professor! You can't do that!" Fred protested.

"Fred, be quiet!" I said, hoping to shut him up.

"Make that twenty points Mr. Weasley, and a night of detention. If anyone has anything else to say…"

"Professor Snape!" George stood up for his brother.

"Thirty."

"George, shut up!" I said, kicking him from under the table. "We don't need any more points taken away and you don't need detention, either."

"But Alicia! This is a bunch of-"

"GEORGE!" he shut up, but you could tell he was just itching to get one last comment in.

For the rest of the class, not another word was said. When it was time to leave, everyone was thankful.

8-8-8-8

"It's rubbish!" Fred said after dinner as we all walked back in to the common room. He took his belongings and slammed them on a nearby table. "Complete rubbish!"

"Fred, calm down," Katie said, shaking her head at him. "You're making a mountain out of a molehill."

"Calm down, Katie?" He just about laughed. "Calm down? I spent hours on a stupid essay- a good essay- to get detention?"

"Should that even surprise you?" Lee asked, sitting down on one of the scarlet couches. "Fred, you're a Gryffindor. He hates us all."

"That shouldn't be an excuse!" Fred said with a roll of is eyes. He leaned against one of the walls of the common room.

"Well maybe if you would have just shut your mouth when I had told you to, none of this would have happened in the first place." I pointed out.

"Alicia, if I'm not mistaking, your paper had a big red X on it too," he said. "Why aren't you mad?" He had a point- almost.

"Fred, how many times have you had a big red X on you Potions papers?" I asked. "We've all had them. You and I both know that. Just get over it. It's one paper."

"She's got a point," George said with a nod. "If we BOTH just shut up, you wouldn't have detention and we wouldn't have lost an extra twenty points on top of what we lost from sleeping."

"Thirty," I corrected. "We lost sixty total."

"Yeah Fred, just let it go," Angelina offered. "We're not even half way through the term and Gryffindor has lost too many points. We can't lose any more."

"Plus, if you get suspended from Quidditch again, like last year," Katie pointed out. "Angelina will wring your neck!" Angelina nodded in agreement. It made all of us laugh. Even Fred cracked a smile.

"Fine," Fred said with a roll of his eyes. "Simply for the fact that I value my life more than my grade."

"That's more like it," Lee said with a chuckle. (A/N: I hate the word chuckle. Don't ask why I used it. But I think that that word sounds so… blah)

"Wow," George said with a yawn. "You guys, it's been a long day. I think I'm just going to go up and go to sleep." And of course yawns are contagious. Within the next few seconds, we were all hit by it- the yawns.

"You're right," Angelina nodded. "I'm headed up to bed too. Good night guys." It was unanimous. We all walked up to our dorms for a nice night's sleep.

Before I drifted off to a peaceful sleep, I kept thinking about what George had said the night before.

I could blame change. Change was what had ruined my family.

People change.

Feelings change.

8-8-8-8

Well guys, there it is! No shout outs this chapter, sorry. I'm waaay too tired. Goodnight.

Ooh, I just watched Troy… that movie was THE GREATEST!


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